A Tipperary TD accepts that there should have been better engagement with the community in Roscrea in relation to the planned arrival of over 400 people fleeing the war in Ukraine.
Fianna Fáil Deputy Jackie Cahill confirmed today that work is currently underway at the former Sacred Heart Convent secondary school in the town.
402 people will be housed in the convent spread over four phases between this summer and the end of January next year.
Speaking on Tipp Today Deputy Cahill accepted that agreed that more information should have been given instead of having rumours circulating.
“I think you would have to go back to the Government department and actually in the briefing I got from the Minister yesterday he recognised that this is an issue. He said we are so busy trying to get accommodation and getting resources for the refugees and making sure that the local communities aren’t impacted we are forgetting about the PR with local communities and I think you know that has to be done.”
Meanwhile works are continuing on the construction of modular homes in Thurles to house Ukrainian families.
60 units are being erected the OPW owned site at Gortataggart as part of 500 such homes planned for across the country.
Deputy Cahill says significant progress has been made recently on the project which was announced last August.
“The construction is going on at a very significant pace. When you take your eye off of it for a day you see very significant work there. Yesterday morning…I come into my office fairly early in the morning…they were flying there at 8 o’clock. So there’s still a lot of site work to be done there but at the pace they’re going I would say the Ukrainian families will be in there in the very near future.”
