Vulnerable Ukrainians protest move from Citywest Hotel

A group of vulnerable Ukrainian refugees have held a protest outside Leinster House over being relocated to accommodation they say is not suitable for their additional needs.

The Ukrainian nationals were removed from the Citywest Hotel over the summer, with some moved to a disused equestrian centre in Kill, Co Kildare, and others to an accommodation centre in Punchestown.

The group, some with disabilities and others with medical issues and visual impairments, gathered outside Leinster House, calling for the Minister for Justice to visit their accommodation to witness the conditions they are living in.

Anastasiia Romazova is blind and now lives alone in a room with no windows in Punchestown.

Speaking through an interpreter, she said: "Very often, even being blind, I have feelings of claustrophobia.

"Because I don't see, but I feel light, so availability of daylight is very important for me. Availability of fresh air and the window to feel the sunshine is very important for me.

"Also, because I'm blind, it is vitally important for me to have toilet and shower in my room because it complicates my life significantly.

"In addition to the fact that I'm blind, I have a heavy form of diabetes, and my kidneys are not working - I am on hemodialysis three times a week

"And because my kidneys are not working, sometimes I don't get enough fresh air and I need it. Especially with that bad ventilation, it's impossible to breathe."

Ms Romazova said the conditions she had in Citywest were ideal given her needs. She had a room with windows, providing daylight, and a bathroom in her own room.

However, she said last month she was given one-week notice that she would be moved to alternative accommodation.

"It was such a big stress for me that the first two weeks after I was moved to Punchestown, I couldn't even normally eat.

"I was eating and then vomiting, eating and then vomiting," she said.

"We just want to be moved to a location with consideration of our medical conditions with light, with fresh air, with a toilet and an individual room for us.

"That's all we ask for," she added.

Many of those gathered at the gates of Leinster House had been living in Citywest since 2022, but were told to leave due to a change in Government accommodation policy.

Earlier this year, the Department of Justice announced that Ukrainians who arrived in Ireland before March 2024 and are beneficiaries of temporary protection would no longer be entitled to State-contracted commercial accommodation.

Last July, Citywest residents were given notice to vacate by this coming Friday and were instructed to apply for alternative State-supported accommodation by 17 July.

Yuliana Smolenko is currently receiving oncologic diagnosis to confirm the presence of cancer and is also asthmatic.

She was also moved out to Punchestown from Citywest, and difficulty in travel has affected her ability to attend appointments.

"I have oncological diagnosis, diagnosed with oncology, so I have to constantly go to clinic.

"There is no infrastructure around the campus in Punchestown, the bus they have provided us with goes only four times a day.

"And as for me and my daughter's conditions, we both have asthma and the general ventilation is so awful, we cannot breathe normally.

"When I come back to this place in the evening I cannot stay in the room over one hour.

"I start having spasms, loss of breath.

"I take medications my daughter takes medications but I worry even more for my daughter because she continuously suffers from this and she doesn't get enough air, she has spasms all the time."

"We were put in these conditions - I think it's cruelty because these conditions are not for human beings," Ms Smolenko added.

Oksana Zhukovska has two young daughters who she cares for as her husband fights on the frontline in Ukraine.

She was transferred to a former equestrian centre in Kill, which she says remains as if it is a stable for horses.

Speaking through an interpreter, she said: "We have to live with open doors like it's a stable for horses, there's only one window and there is not enough sunlight.

"There was no table, so my daughters had to do their homework on chairs and a bed.

"Everything is dirty, undercleaned and there’s only shared toilets for everyone up on the first floor.

"It is extra stress, my husband is in the military on the frontline, I cannot relax, I am worried.

"My sister’s husband died on Saturday, there will be a funeral soon and I cannot even attend."

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice said the department sought, insofar as practicable, to match accommodation to identified needs and remains committed to ensuring that vulnerable persons continue to receive appropriate supports throughout the transition from Citywest to other accommodation centres.

"The Department and the HSE are in regular contact to ensure the best options for people requiring continued accommodation are offered, having due regard to their circumstances and settings available," they said.

The spokesperson said the ending of the provision of commercial accommodation at the Citywest Hotel followed a Government decision on 26 May 2026.

They said no further accommodation for Ukrainians granted temporary protection would be provided at Citywest from Friday.

They said this was communicated to all residents on 30 June.

A self-declaration application process which closed on 17 July was made available to residents who believed they continued to require temporary accommodation following the closure of the Citywest facility.

"An offer of accommodation has now issued to all residents whose applications were approved, taking into account any identified vulnerabilities or accommodation requirements.

"If an application was approved, the applicant will be accommodated in one of the following designated accommodation centres: Punchestown, Co Kildare; Kill Accommodation Centre; or Inchmore House, Offaly," the spokesperson added.