Ukrainian accommodation contracts in Westmeath top €11 million

Official figures have shown that deals worth more than €11 million in total were signed last year for contractors to provide accommodation and ancillary services in Westmeath to people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

One of the largest such contracts in the State during the latter part of 2022 was a €6.6 million deal agreed with Bower Hall Services Ltd for the use of the former Our Lady's Bower convent in Athlone.

According to details on the State's eTenders website, the contract for the former Bower convent premises, worth €6,632,050, was finalised in late August.

The figures also showed that a €226,233 contract was signed to accommodate Ukrainian people at Shine's Guesthouse in Baylough, Athlone. The State's contract for the service at Shine's was signed with Cloverlake Ltd on September 9 last.

Figures for the earlier part of last year showed that, in March, a contract worth €2,049,600 was agreed by the State with Nantanna Limited for the use of the Creggan Court Hotel in Athlone.

Elsewhere in Westmeath, Gopack Limited, which operates The Newbury Hotel in Mullingar, also entered into a €1,033,950 Ukrainian contract in March of 2022.

Annebrook House Hotel Ltd in Mullingar signed a €167,440 contract in July, while Maple Court Hotel Ltd reached a €356,400 deal with the State last April.

Last May, Hannah, Brian and Sarah Daly of The Callows B&B in Athlone entered into a €274,500 Ukrainian accommodation contract, while the following month a contract valued at €176,715 was agreed by the State with Maerscourt House in Rathconrath, Westmeath.

On July 11, another local premises, Court Devenish House in Athlone, became the site of a €386,400 accommodation contract awarded to Safe Harbour Hospitality Limited.

It's understood that the value of the contracts awarded included catering services, cleaning, laundry facilities and security services.

The Irish Examiner reported that the State had so far paid €676 million to hotels, B&Bs, and private providers to accommodate Ukrainians fleeing conflict.

A spokesperson for the Department of Integration told the Irish Examiner that the values of the contracts provided were estimates, and that the actual amounts paid to providers depended on occupancy and usage.

Figures for the contracts awarded to the other companies providing accommodation to Ukrainian people in Westmeath were not available at the time of writing.

Details of the length of the contracts were also not available.

Almost 14 months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, the most recent figures available showed that just under 80,000 Ukrainian people were now living in Ireland.