Uncertain future for 197 Ukrainian residents as Hookless Village accommodation contract ends

Almost 200 Ukrainian residents living at Hookless Village in Wexford are facing an uncertain future as State-supported accommodation at the site comes to an end.

The contract expires on October 31st, with 197 residents given three months to make alternative arrangements. Many have lived in the area for almost five years after fleeing the war in Ukraine, and some now fear homelessness or emergency accommodation.

One resident, Natalia, arrived in Ireland with her daughter in April 2022. After travelling through Poland, Germany and France, they arrived in Rosslare before spending a week in temporary accommodation in Arklow.

She says Hookless Village gave her family the peaceful place they needed to rebuild their lives, find work and become part of the local community.

Residents were given two options when notified in August: apply for temporary accommodation in a centre or find somewhere else independently. Natalia says the news came as a shock to families who had spent years putting down roots in Wexford.

They asked the owner of the cottages if they could rent them for longer, ideally until the end of the school year, but Natalia says the request was rejected.

She says the local community has been hugely supportive, with volunteers, the Ramsgrange Family Centre and Wexford Local Development helping families settle in. However, residents have also experienced hostility, which she believes has been fuelled by negative portrayals of Ukrainians online.

Natalia says many residents work in local businesses and services, pay their bills and contribute to the community.

The families have contacted local and national representatives, including Minister James Browne, Minister for Migration Jim O’Callaghan and Taoiseach Micheál Martin, seeking clarity on their situation.

Natalia says they want their circumstances to be properly considered and are asking for a fair opportunity to continue building their lives in Ireland, as neighbours, colleagues and friends who want a safe home and a stable future for their children.