People who’ve offered their vacant properties to Ukrainian refugees are to start being contacted from today.
Over 20,000 people have pledged spare rooms or whole properties to those fleeing the Russian invasion.
Of those, 4,000 have registered fully vacant homes.
One of those to come forward was John O’Brien from Latteragh.
They have a 19 year old Ukrainian girl, her mother and her aunt staying with them at present.
Speaking on Tipp Today John said it’s a hugely rewarding experience.
“It is a big commitment – I won’t say its not. But it is so rewarding.
“We’ll get our guests registered with the Department of Social Welfare on Wednesday please God and they will get their PPS number and they will get the benefits from the department – the Job Seekers Allowance and stuff like that.
“Our guests want to get work. They want work the same as anyone else. They’re the very same as you or I.
“I would like to think they will go back (to Ukraine) and they have invited us to visit them sometime. We are making friends that didn’t know we would ever make.”
