No Picnic now as 27 refugees move to site..

Government struggling to find accommodation

- LOUISE BURNE

A TOTAL of 27 Ukrainian refugees moved on to the site of Electric Picnic yesterday as the State continues to grapple with an accommodation crisis.

It comes as the National Ploughing Championships stated that Roderic O'Gorman's Department of Integration had contacted it to ask if it could use its location for accommodation.

It was confirmed last week that the Department had signed a contract with the owners of a site in Stradbally, Co Laois, to use the Electric Picnic location for a six-week period.

The Department of Integration confirmed the first refugees moved in on Tuesday, with more expected over the coming days.

The provider has stated that the contract could commence yesterday on a phased basis, with full occupancy of 750 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection from Ukraine by Thursday.