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200 Ukrainian refugees left without accommodation - Oireachtas Committee.

200 teifeach Úcránach fágtha gan lóistín - Coiste Oireachtais.

More than 200 people fleeing the war in Ukraine have been left homeless here in the past three weeks, according to the Secretary General of a government department.

Fágadh níos mó ná 200 duine a bhí ag teitheadh ón chogaíocht san Úcráin gan lóistín anseo le trí seachtainí anuas, dar le Ard-Rúnaí roinne rialtais.

203 refugees have had no accommodation since January 24, said Kevin McCarthy, Secretary General of the Department of Children and Inclusion to the Public Accounts Committee.

Níl aon lóistín faighte ag 203 teifeach ó bhí an 24 Eanáir a dúirt Kevin McCarthy, Ard-Rúnaí na Roinne Leanaí agus Lánpháirtíochta le Coiste na gCuntas Poiblí.

Although the Department of Children and Integration is in the process of establishing a second transit hub for those coming into the State, the Secretary General told the Committee that "this will not necessarily solve the problem."

Cé go bhfuil an Roinn Leanaí agus Lánpháirtíochta i mbun iarrachtaí an dara mol idirthurais a bhunú dóibh siúd atá ag teacht isteach sa Stát, dúirt an tArd- Rúnaí leis an Choiste "nach gá go réiteodh seo an fhadhb."

Kevin McCarthy said that protests against people applying for international protection - rather than against people fleeing Ukraine - are making accommodation providers reluctant.

Dúirt Kevin McCarthy go bhfuil agóidí in aghaidh daoine a dhéanann iarratas ar chosaint idirnáisiúnta - seachas in aghaidh daoine atá ag teitheadh ón Úcráin - ag cur drogaill ar lucht soláthair lóistín.

Although the majority of those who came here were welcomed and supported, he said that protesters - a small but growing number - are leaving their mark on the accommodation supply.

Cé gur cuireadh fáilte agus tacaíocht ar fáil d'fhormhór na ndaoine a tháinig anseo, dúirt sé go bhfuil lucht agóide - líon beag ach atá ag dul i méid - ag fágáil a loirg ar an soláthar lóistín.

"Providers are quite reluctant to make their facilities available to applicants for international protection," he said, but "this is not related to the issue of Ukraine."

"Tá leisc nach beag ar sholáthróirí a gcuid áiseanna a chur ar fáil d'iarrthóirí ar chosaint idirnáisiúnta," a dúirt sé, ach "ní bhaineann seo le ceist na hÚcráine."

"There are particular difficulties in relation to single men" he said, "although the facts show that single men are not a threat to the communities in which they live."

"Tá deacrachtaí ar leith ann maidir le fir shingil" a dúirt sé, "cé go léiríonn na fíricí nach bagairt iad fir shingil do na pobail ina mbíonn siad ina gcónaí."

Kevin McCarthy said that it is likely that there will be a shortfall of more than 3,000 beds available when the contracts that the Department currently has in place with hotels come to an end.

Dúirt Kevin McCarthy gur dóiche go mbeidh easnamh de níos mó ná 3,000 leaba ar fáil nuair a thiocfaidh deireadh leis na conarthaí atá i bhfeidhm ag an Roinn le h-óstáin faoi láthair.

There are a large number of hotels that have not yet responded to the Department's requests to renew accommodation contracts, he told MP Alan Dillon, Fine Gael.

Tá líon mór óstáin nár thug freagra fós ar iarratais na Roinne athnuachan a dhéanamh ar chonarthaí lóistín, a dúirt sé leis an teachta Alan Dillon, Fine Gael.

"Although no hotel has rejected us yet," there are many hotels that have not yet made a decision and "there is a risk that we will lose those contracts," he said.

"Cé nár dhiúltaigh aon óstán muid fós," tá a lán óstáin nach bhfuil cinneadh déanta acu fós agus "tá baol ann go gcaillidh muid na conarthaí sin," a dúirt sé.

Regarding the reports that some hotel owners were waiting 11 weeks for payments from the Department,