Works have re-commenced on the installation of 82 units, to provide accommodation for families fleeing the war in Ukraine at a HSE owned site adjacent to Heywood Road, Clonmel. Protestors at the site entrance have blocked construction vehicles by sitting on the road. There is a Garda presence at the site. Workers have been arriving at the site by taxi and are said to be staying in hotels across the county.
The Heywood road site is part of the State’s humanitarian response to the Ukrainian crisis, with the Government developing a rapid build accommodation programme for families fleeing the war in Ukraine. The Office of Public Works (OPW) is leading the delivery of this programme on behalf of the government. Works will progress on the site over the coming months with a view to site completion by the end of 2024/early 2025.
The construction work will include roads, footpaths, street lighting and green spaces, fully in line with Local Authority planning guidance. The modular homes are highly energy efficient, durable units with a 60-year lifespan. The Office of Public Works and Sisk are responsible for delivering the project. 62 similar houses were built in Thurles for Ukrainian refugees by John Sisk Ltd and are fully occupied since early 2023.
There are no plans for the Clonmel site, nor any adjacent or nearby site, to be used for the accommodation of International Protection applicants according to the update from the Office of Public Works today.
Initial briefings have taken place with local elected members and a joint DCEDIY/OPW community engagement event will take place following initial assessments and confirmation of site layout.
Further information on the State’s Rapid Build Housing project as part of the humanitarian response to the Ukrainian crisis is available on www.gov.ie/rapid-build-housing/
