Some hotels housing Ukrainians could return to public use

Dozens of hotels currently housing Ukrainians could return to public use during the summer months, the Taoiseach has indicated.

Speaking at the launch of the Fine Gael manifestos for the local and European Parliament elections Simon Harris said the number of Ukrainians in State accommodation has fallen significantly.

The Taoiseach described this as quite exciting because it means that towns and villages might get their hotel back.

He said that from talking to people across the country in recent weeks, they wanted help but they also wanted to see a bit of common sense and “cop on” when it comes to immigration policy.

Mr Harris confirmed that charities would no longer be funded to provide tents to asylum seekers once more tented accommodation is available on State lands in the next few weeks.

Fine Gael is running 349 candidates in the local elections and five in the European elections.

The Taoiseach urged all candidates to leave everything on the field, adding that Fine Gael must stop looking down at their shoes and instead look up and canvass more and more housing estates.

He pledged too that the Government would take more action to clamp down on the bulk buying of homes by investor funds and there was a commitment to improve disability services.