‘I don’t want to leave’: Vulnerable Ukrainians protest over plans for relocation

A group of Ukrainian children and vulnerable adults protested outside an EU conference on children’s rights in Dublin on Thursday. Describing themselves as “scared” and “feeling very bad”, about 20 protesters gathered to object to plans to remove them from their homes to locations further from schools, hospitals and GPs they say they depend on.They and several hundred Ukrainians, living in the Republic as beneficiaries of temporary protection, have been told they must leave their accommodation at Citywest, Dublin, by September 18th. Letters received in June and July said they would be moved to alternative accommodation in Kill or Punchestown, Co Kildare, Co Offaly, or Dundalk, Co Louth. READ MOREThey were told to apply for one of these by July 17th, but several at Thursday’s protest outside Dublin Castle said they had not applied as they do not want to leave Citywest. The Department of Justice has designated Citywest as the main reception and accommodation centre for newly arrived International Protection applicants. The protest took place outside Dublin Castle as senior EU officials attended a two-day conference titled, Listening to Children and Young People – Challenges in Challenging Settings. Tannya Trofimova (29), who is blind, said she was “happy” and “used to living” in Citywest. She said she had mastered the layout and felt “secure” there with her son, 10-year-old Anton. Tannya Trofimova, who is blind, with her son Anton (10). She said his sight is deteriorating and he needs to be near medical services. Photograph: Alan Betson “He has friends at school. But his sight is deteriorating. He needs to have surgery and ... We need to be close to his clinic.” Anton said he was “happy” in his school, adding: “I don’t want to leave.”Viktoriia Danylevska (38), who is receiving chemotherapy treatment at the Mater hospital in Dublin, lives in Citywest with her 69-year-old mother. “On July 1st we were told we have 70 days to apply to be moved to another location. Instead of us asylum seekers will stay in Citywest,” she said, adding that she “cannot understand” the decision to move them. “For me it is very important to be in Dublin ... We are feeling very bad about what is happening.”Denys Hieniievskyi (25) is in a similar situation. He is living with an Irish host family. However, his hosts have told him they will need his bedroom in November to accommodate their daughter. A protest near Dublin Castle in support of Ukrainians facing relocation from Citywest. Photograph: Alan Betson He has been offered a move to one of the same four locations. He said he uses crutches as his joints are “damaged”, cannot walk far and wants to stay near the hospital and GP he attends. “The Government says we do not need the ARP [accommodation recognition payment paid to host families] after March. I feel very scared, but I try to control it,” he said. “It is very hard. I cannot sleep.”Labour Party Cllr Joanna Tuffy called on the department to “take a compassionate look again at these cases”. She also called for disability and immigrant support groups to “take up these cases ... These people need support.” The department has been contacted for comment.