No accommodation for as many as 8,300 refugees by the end of May – analysis compiled by the Government

The Cabinet was warned “all accommodation types will be at maximum capacity” by the last week of April.

And by the end of May it is expected there will be between 29,000 to 33,000 Ukrainians seeking accommodation in Ireland.

Ministers were told 90pc of serviced and emergency accommodation is currently being used to house Ukrainian refugees.

They were told independent accommodation will be occupied as soon as it becomes available as the demand is higher than the capacity available.

So far, the Red Cross has secured just 110 accommodation places from offers made by the public.

“There will be a shortage of accommodation by the end of April. Up to 8,3000 would have no accommodation by end of May as all accommodation types will be at maximum capacity from the fourth week of April,” the Cabinet was told.

It comes as over 1,200 refugees from Ukraine are being accommodated in temporary emergency beds in community centres and sports halls, the Cabinet will be told later.

New figures show that despite a decline in the number of arrivals into Ireland in recent days and over Easter weekend, there are now acute shortages of accommodation.

Some refugees are expected to start being accommodated at the Millstreet Arena in Cork later on Wednesday with another facility at Gormanston Camp in Meath also being stood up shortly.

However, already some 1,271 refugees who have arrived in recent days are currently being accommodated in temporary emergency beds in community and sports halls across the country, according to the latest compiled figures by the Department of Children and Equality.

Of the 24,438 arrivals into Ireland from Ukraine since the Russian invasion began at the end of February, some 16,128 of them have sought accommodation through the State.

The Department has sourced around 10,500 hotel rooms in recent weeks, but the accommodation shortages are now forcing the State to use “dormitory style accommodation” involving camp beds set up in community and sports halls.

All of those who pledged vacant accommodation through the Irish Red Cross have now been contacted, the Cabinet will be told later.

Ministers will be told that 878 offers of vacant properties have now been withdrawn, while 674 properties that were pledged have been passed to local authorities with 100 more gone to other partners involved in accommodating refugees. Between 150 to 200 people have already been placed in pledged accommodation.

The latest figures from the Department of Justice show that on Monday there were 200 refugees who arrived in through Irish ports and airports, while this fell to 137 on Tuesday.

Some 2,418 people arrived in the week up to last Sunday, a significant fall on the 3,456 the previous week, which itself was a fall from the 4,216 the previous week.

Ministers will be told that although the numbers of those arriving fell over the Easter week, they are expected to increase again following the holiday period.

In addition, ministers were also told that last Friday 17,000 emails were issued to those who pledged accommodation and were asked to confirm their offer. Over 5,000 people responded with 1,000 withdrawing their offer.

Cabinet was also told that a total of 2,325 emergency beds are available through local authorities and that the Department of Children expects to finalise contracts regarding the use of 750-bedroom Citywest hotel and conference arena to provide further accommodation capacity this week.

The latest modelling exercise carried out by the Department of the Taoiseach assumes 400 arrivals per day with between 75pc and 100pc of them seeking accommodation until end of June.

On this basis, Cabinet was told there could be a shortage of accommodation by the end of April with up to 8,300 refugees having no accommodation by the end of May. If independent accommodation is not available, the time it takes to accommodate people could take up to 21 days and up to 27 days for serviced accommodation.

Ireland has frozen over €1 billion of Russian assets up to 14 April last, ministers were also told.