Last week, it was announced that the largest hotel in Drogheda, the D Hotel, with 113 rooms, is to become an accommodation centre for 500 international protection applicants, starting from 5 March. We were told the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth will manage the arrival of the people. We were told that the provision of accommodation, health, education, income and other supports will be a whole-government emergency response, and we are told that the D Hotel signed a two-year contract. There was no communication with the people, the local authority or voluntary bodies. What resources and supports will the people of Drogheda get?

I thank the Deputy for his engagement, the Drogheda Deputies for theirs and all the Louth Deputies on this. There was communication with them and with the local authority.

Absolutely, however, we need to make sure we have the supports in place for a significant number of vulnerable people in family groups who will be using the D Hotel as their accommodation. Our Department will work, for example, with the Department of Education and the local education and training board through the REALT system in the provision of education supports. I will be meeting with people in the business improvement district and chambers of commerce to understand their wider concerns on economic issues. We will filter that back into the work our Department does.