Ukrainian refugees in Ireland - Megathread

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594224#Comment_119594224

I'd believe orders from higher ups in the EU - influx of refugees or anti putin - at any cost.

You believe we should be pro Putin?

Nah, but work away. 😕

maninasia

For anybody interested the Govt have spread a big money tree around Ireland. 93 hotels and guesthouses etc in Q2 alone.

NO FORMAL tendering required.

Who gets the contracts and at what price?

99 million handed out in Q2 jusz for these 'tenders' (not really tenders as per hsual though). At the same time some large hotels or premises changed ownership.

Then you have guesthouses making up to 500k plus on these contracts.

Just like Covid they claim that a formal tender process was not neccessary and a formal process will be setup 'in the future'.....

####Explanation

Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the Official Journal of the European Union in the cases listed below

Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority and in accordance with the strict conditions stated in the directive

Given the large number of refugees seeking accommodation and the urgency involved, the Contracting Authority was not in a position to procure the necessary contract(s) by advertising openly. Rather, the Contracting Authority has formed the view that in view of such urgency and in furtherance of the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022 that it was open to the Contracting Authority to rely on the exception under the applicable EU procurement Directive 2014/24 to negotiate directly without prior publication to put in place a number of short service contracts.

The Department’s reliance on this derogation was confirmed by two separate communications from the European Commission 8 and 23 March 2022 which states that “Member States that need to ramp up reception capacity to provide shelter, supplies and services can make use of the rules foreseen for urgent public procurement, as was the case during the migration crisis of 2015-16 and the COVID-19 pandemic”.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52022DC0107&from=EN

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52022DC0131&from=EN

On this basis the Department has chosen to enter into short term contracts with the providers listed, in the context of an ongoing emergency response to a humanitarian crisis.

It is intended that a formal procurement competition will be run for any long term service requirements needed.####

foxsake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594410#Comment_119594410

that isn't really what i said - you should really read what people actually write

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594462#Comment_119594462

Well then, do tell what is the opposite of "anti putin".

In your own time. 👍️

Patrick2010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594402#Comment_119594402

Bruff is 30 minutes from Limerick university. They're freeing up student accommodation by taking Ukranians from student accommodation and putting them in a place that have been rented to students.

foxsake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594467#Comment_119594467

as said if you read what i wrote.

I said

or anti putin - at any cost.

"AT ANY COST" is relevant

You are trying to scramble here demanding to know the OPPOSITE - when so many other options exist?

Or do you live in such a binary world ? maybe you do.

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594520#Comment_119594520

Which options would they be?

maninasia

Or they could have rented to students directly and have buses going in and out. But nah who cares about them.

I suspect refugees are far more lucrative than students!!!

Follow the Euros!!

And its also taking refugees from other areas so not sure how much it will help Limerick students specifically.

hawley

In a private message, O’Tuathail asked Bowes if Vanguard, the private medical company Bowes is now involved with, would consider investing in setting up a Direct Provision Centre – emphasising the profits that were to be made by putting a money bag emoji in a message to highlight this.

Tellingly, he assured Bowes that Varadkar would not countenance any reform (let alone abolition) of this system, saying that:

“LEO literally couldn’t give a **** about the refugees. Its (Justice Minister Charlie) flanagans baby. There would be a HUGE amount of work required to get it over the line.”

https://www.socialistparty.ie/2020/11/whats-behind-the-leotheleak-scandal/

It's all about money. The politicians know that there'll be an influx of refugees every year. Politicians and the elites don't care about ordinary people, we're just here to make them wealthier.

Igotadose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594191#Comment_119594191

Why?

Because it's an emergency. If the Ukrainian refugees hadn't arrived, would anything have changed viz. homelessness in Ireland?

Why is Paddy being treated as a second class citizen in his own country?

Reducto ad absurdum. No one in Ireland is being treated as 'second class.' Because you can't define second class, or first, or third, objectively.

The original question is still whataboutery.

ShamNNspace

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119593064#Comment_119593064

Another little snippet from Goldhalk, nice little earner there for the lads

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119593054#Comment_119593054

Seriously? Walk into any decent newsagents. The Irish Times and the Irish Independent are both also paywalled!

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594804#Comment_119594804

So business closed down by pandemic operates loss, business reopens operates profit.

Quite the scoop. 😂

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119593684#Comment_119593684

So you want students going to UL to live in Bruff, instead?

Let's have a look, so... There's one bus a day, leaving at 07:56, if you've morning lectures or tutorials. Takes about an hour and you've to change buses. If you don't need to be in until 13:30, there's another one at 12:30. So yeah, do-able. But not for more than what, 53 people? If you want to head in later, there's one at 12:26, and the last bus in is at 16:46. Which is two minutes before the last bus back to Bruff leaves UL.

You're not getting back home unless you hitch, get a taxi, or take the bus at 10:00 or 15:30, or the last bus at... 16:48. So no late afternoon lectures, or social life.

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594179#Comment_119594179

What have you done for Irish homeless people lately?

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119593866#Comment_119593866

15 days for an open tender, where urgency is involved. Realistically, 30 days, allowing for due diligence (nobody wants a repeat of the dodgy Covid/PPE procurements!) and proper evaluations. They've had upwards of 150 days.

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594191#Comment_119594191

Why are we being told to prepare for massive bill hikes and energy conservation/possible blackouts when we're spending billions on this effort?

Because Putin's Russia invaded Ukraine, provoking an energy crisis as large swathes of western Europe discovered just how dependent they were on Russian oil and gas; our government ignored warnings on scarcity of supply and continued to encourage building of data centres without sufficiently increasing energy supply; and energy companies saw an opportunity to vastly improve shareholders' profits, even where "100% of our electricity is green-generated" in some cases.

It is not the fault of Ukrainian refugees.

Backstreet Moyes

The war started months ago so why are thousands arriving here weekly and didn't leave Ukraine in the past few months?

Why are millions going home from other countries but thousands are fleeing from Ukraine to here every week?

It doesn't make much sense to me.

maninasia

If there were hundreds of students there they would run multiple buses everyday .

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594318#Comment_119594318

They're all listed on that page - 92 contracts in total - and the values are listed too.

"On this basis the Department has chosen to enter into short term contracts with the providers listed, in the context of an ongoing emergency response to a humanitarian crisis. It is intended that a formal procurement competition will be run for any long term service requirements needed."

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594955#Comment_119594955

It's not the fault of Ukrainian refugees no (and NO ONE has said that on this thread that I'm aware), but neither is it our/Ireland's fault or responsibility to solve all their problems either. We have a lot of existing problems and demands on the services provided. We can only do so much.

As for the rest, aside from our gas supply not coming from Russia and thus not (as) impacted, the rest of it you would need to take up with Eamon Ryan and his shower of zealots. It's them who are blocking the very much needed measures to ensure our energy supplies because of fantasy notions and ideology.

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594794#Comment_119594794

The "emergency" at this point is questionable given the vast area of territory in Ukraine that is/has reopened to business as usual and the numbers who are returning - either permanently or on holidays/modelling trips! Yet at a time when other EU nations are rightly reducing supports, we are still encouraging the free-for-all approach... why??

As for your second point. When Irish and other EU citizens here are being pushed down waiting lists, or when Ukrainian refugees are being fast-tracked things like medical cards and other supports (often with no or very limited criteria being applied vs what would normally be the case), then Paddy is absolutely being treated as second class in his own home.

What you are calling whataboutery are in fact legitimate questions, uncomfortable as they may be to the "Do More" advocates who are only in fact making the situation worse for everyone - Ukrainians included! - at this point.

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119595157#Comment_119595157

When Irish and other EU citizens here are being pushed down waiting lists

Which waiting lists, be specific?

Liath Luachra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594907#Comment_119594907

Many South American students renting there for past few years and attending English college in town and others working in city. It seemed to work for them. All their tenancies have now been ceased and they too are seeking places to rent. There are locals living in Bruff and surrounding areas attending college in Limerick city y'know - its not some remote backwater.

Its a listed building and works were carried out with no apparent planning permission or the presence of a conservation officer to ensure work carried out in line with listed building requirements. I understand the urgency and its positive to see building lived in, nonetheless, disappointing to see apparent lack of respect for the fabric of building. There has been several successful local businesses in there over the years, it was intended for use as a sports and business park.

maninasia

@TaurenDruid

Thats what I just said lol and what I quoted already.

Why are you repeating back the stuff that I found?

I said they used dodgy emergency rules in a Covid 2.0 type 99 million taxpayer rip off off for their mates.

Everybody knows government money is the easiest to get here.

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594910#Comment_119594910

is this the new "why dont you go fight in Ukraine?"

lol - what have you done for Irish homeless people lately? Other than advocate for Ukrainians to get resources ahead of them?

Subzero3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594910#Comment_119594910

I did overtime in work, paid more tax and contributed to the government purse that was supposed to be used to make this country better for the people here, the Irish that fell on hard times etc. Not unlimited Ukrianinans.

Subzero3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594342#Comment_119594342

Fluff of the highest order. The bones of the story is a kid belonging to a flag waver made queen cakes for the Ukrianinans and that meant the whole of Bruff was ok with what happend without their say in the matter.

Subzero3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119594794#Comment_119594794

Before the Ukrianinan problem SF were/are in line to be the main government exactly because of a housing and health crisis that the current government caused/did not fix.

The Ukrianinans have made that 10 times worse by taking up housing stock and resources that would of helped relieve the situation in the short term.

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119595000#Comment_119595000

I'll assume that was a reply to me.

(How the hell can you be the only boards user who doesn't have a quote button?!)

Thanks for the info. I wish that were true. It isn't. My local bus stop, at rush hour, you can be waiting as two, three or four buses pass by, already full. This is only a few stops from the terminus. And during the summer holidays, when (pre-covid, admittedly) there'd be hundreds of Spanish and Italian students trying to get buses to the language schools, Dublin Bus would cut services.