GAA: Call for refugee accommodation comes at difficult time

The GAA has said a Government call for sporting organisations to make temporary accommodation available for people seeking refuge in Ireland comes at a "difficult time" for the association.

With club championships being played at all levels, it says it is unlikely that the majority of GAA facilities could become available for accommodation use until after the winter.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, GAA Community and Health Manager Colin Regan said: "Unfortunately, the latest call coincides with the commencement of the club championship season, which places extensive demand on all GAA facilities at both club and county level.

"It means that the likelihood of any suitable accommodation becoming available in this very period is extremely limited.

"While a senior team may be knocked out of the championship, as we know, clubs will be catering for a whole swathe of underage and a myriad of adult teams right until the end of the club championship season, which will run in some counties for some clubs right up to the end of the year."

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Mr Regan added the call comes at "a difficult time for the association".

This happens as the Government is pushing plans for the potential use of sports halls, arenas and locations around the country to accommodate people seeking refuge in Ireland.

The Department of Justice today said that 43,972 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Ireland as of yesterday, 4 August.

A total of 698 Ukrainian refugees arrived in the country in the last week.

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