Hundreds of Ukrainians Face Eviction from Trabolgan Holiday Centre, County Cork

Hundreds of Ukrainians residing at the Trabolgan Holiday Centre in Midleton, County Cork, face eviction due to the Irish government's phased reduction of contracted commercial accommodation. Residents were informed by management that more details would follow in the coming weeks, but no exact eviction date was provided.

Many affected Ukrainians work locally, risking job loss, and children attending local schools will be impacted by relocation. This aligns with the Irish government's cuts to supports for Ukrainians, including free accommodation, impacting 16,000 people in State accommodation from August. The policy aims to transition Ukrainians into private housing, reducing reliance on State-funded options, despite opposition concerns about pressure on the rental market.

Svetlana Komurko, a resident with her 19-year-old son, stated that nearly 600 people, including many children, live at the centre. Most families are from occupied Ukrainian territories, with her hometown of Kherson destroyed. Residents expressed gratitude for the safe haven but pleaded for a clearer timeline and reconsideration of the eviction, citing the housing crisis and the difficulty of finding private rentals on short notice. They also highlighted the vulnerability of families with small children, disabled individuals, and the elderly, questioning the expectation for war refugees to return to areas under daily attack.