Members of the Church of Ireland have been asked “to give urgent consideration” as to how they can provide accommodation for people fleeing Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Its Church and Society Commission has appealed to “anyone who owns or knows of buildings in good or habitable repair for immediate use which could accommodate groups of Ukrainian refugees” to contact the relevant Government agency.

This follows consultation by the commission with the Department which manages short–term accommodation needs, in light of the current shortage of accommodation for refugees, and the need to “sustain the momentum for the long run on behalf of people who have lost everything at home,” as the Church’s commission has put it.