Baggot Street Hospital under consideration for housing Ukrainian refugees

It comes after calls from local residents and businesses to open up the property for the tens of thousands of refugees which are expected to arrive and a local developer offered their own builders to be used for renovations.

Labour Dublin City Council member, Dermot Lacey, said it is “quite shameful” the hospital has been empty for so many years and urged the HSE to open it up for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war.

“I’d certainly be very open to the conversation,” said Mr Donnelly at Dublin Castle.

He said that Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman are both leading the Government response to the crisis but if they were in favour of the facility to be used, that using the building would be “looked at”.

“If the line departments who are running those facilities indicate that this would be something that would be useful, we’d have no problem with that.”

Mr Donnelly said incoming refugees would receive a “medical assessment” upon their arrival in Ireland and that some will need hospitalisation or mental health supports.

Cabinet ministers agreed that upon their arrival in Ireland, Ukrainian refugees would be offered a PPS number as well as income supports such as the Supplementary Allowance and medical cards.

Parents with children will also be in receipt of child benefit.

Refugees will be met in the airport by officials from the departments of social protection and justice where their needs will be assessed and Tusla services will also be provided.