The transfer of a group of Palestinian families from their accommodation in Dublin to new housing in Donegal has been put on hold. They arrived in Ireland through a medical evacuation programme last year.
The Irish Red Cross had arranged for the families of six seriously ill children to be moved from private residential housing in south Dublin, where they have lived since arriving in Ireland in December 2024, to an apartment complex in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, on Tuesday, August 12th.
However, The Irish Times understands a decision was made on Monday to put the transfer on hold so that all concerns raised by the mothers of the children can be addressed before the move takes place.
A new transfer date has not been selected, but it is understood the Irish Red Cross is keen to ensure the families are settled into their new accommodation before the school year begins. The group will still be moved into the previously earmarked accommodation in Letterkenny, the organisation said.
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The women are concerned their sick children will not receive adequate healthcare in Letterkenny and say there was no clear consultation in the lead-up to the move. They have called for alternative accommodation to be found within a two-hour commute of Dublin.
The Irish Red Cross said the Dublin accommodation where the group currently live will become unavailable from September. Consultation with the families regarding this move began last March.
The mothers, their sick children and 11 younger siblings arrived in December 2024 as part of the State’s commitment to evacuate up to 30 ill children from Gaza via Egypt. A second group of paediatric patients arrived in May. The arrival of the third group of up to 18 children has been stalled amid concerns over visas for their siblings.
The mothers learned of their transfer in a letter dated July 29th from the Irish Red Cross, which is contracted by the Department of Health to support the families.
The Irish Red Cross previously said the families of children who require ongoing specialist treatment will remain in Dublin.
Volunteers working with the women had recommended they be moved to a housing unit in Kilkenny which has been assessed by the organisation. It is understood, however, that this housing is not available until October.
“We are single mothers without the support of husbands or extended family, which makes moving to a distant location far more difficult and distressing,” the mothers said.
A separate letter sent to TDs and local councillors by volunteers working with the women said building a local south Dublin support network since the group’s arrival had required “energy, resources and trust building”.
The Irish Red Cross said it has engaged with the local Letterkenny integration team, community groups, schools and creche providers ahead of the mooted move, and Arabic-speaking caseworkers will provide “dedicated, wraparound support”.
