New appeal on Westmeath homes for Ukrainians, with 24 offered so far

Westmeath County Council has renewed its public appeal for properties to house people fleeing the war in Ukraine, saying 24 homes in the county have been offered to date.

The appeal is for standalone properties that are not occupied by others and have their own entrance door. A tax-free recognition payment of €800 per month is being offered for properties used to house those arriving from Ukraine.

Under the ‘Offer a Home’ programme, Westmeath County Council will take offers of houses, apartments, or holiday homes for temporary accommodation, liaise with owners to assess suitability, and arrange for their use by Ukrainian people and families.

Properties should be in liveable condition and, ideally, available for at least 6 months.

Property owners can offer homes at gov.ie/offerahome or by contacting Westmeath County Council at offerahome@westmeathcoco.ie. More information is also available at www.westmeathcoco.ie.

The ‘Offer a Home’ scheme was launched last November and the council said it had since received offers of 24 homes in the county.

Mark Keaveney, Director of Services with Westmeath County Council, said: "The welcome Irish people have shown to those arriving from Ukraine has been exceptional, and we are so thankful to those who have already offered homes.

"We know that people are very anxious to help where they can so we're appealing to anybody who has a suitable property and hasn't been able to offer it before now to please consider getting in touch with us to find out what is involved.

"We understand that it can be daunting to offer a property to someone you don't know. That is why local authorities will work with you throughout the process and be there to offer support while your property is being used.

"If you have a property that is otherwise going to be empty over the coming months, please consider offering it for those who badly need a safe home for a while."

Pledges of shared accommodation for arrivals from Ukraine can be made separately, through the Irish Red Cross, the council said.