Free co-working spaces, Bikram yoga and discounted coffee are among the offers being made through a new website to the almost 10,000 Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in Ireland since Russia’s invasion.
Pryvit.ie is the brainchild of Máirín Murray and Tech For Good, a group of tech professionals in Dublin. Murray said the Irish tech community was horrified by the war in Ukraine and wanted to help Ukrainians moving to Ireland in practical ways.
“Pryvit.ie is a simple idea that allows businesses to offer a helping hand through a welcome offer for their goods or services to Ukrainian refugees,” she said.
While there are so far only a small number of companies registered, Murray expects there will be a surge in interest when the site launches this week. Murray said Three, the mobile company, was already on board and providing free sim cards to Ukrainians.
Other companies include the Digital Hub Development Agency, which is offering free co-working spaces for up to three months, The Art of Coffee, a chain of coffee shops in Dublin offering 50 per cent discounts, and Bikram Yoga Dublin, which is offering free 90 minute workout classes.
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Murray has experience helping refugees, having previously organised a convoy of goods to be sent to Calais.
She said: “The easiest way for Irish business to help the people of Ukraine is through its core products and services, and I am hopeful that, as it grows, Pryvit.ie will act as a very useful directory of what is available. It will also be a testament to the kindness and generosity of the Irish business and tech community.”
“It’s creating a sense of belonging and a sense of community [for the Ukrainians]”, she said.
Murray is hopeful that the concept, where businesses can pledge support or services to Ukrainians, can be rolled out to other countries.
Meanwhile, Roderic O’Gorman, the children’s minister, confirmed that the first houses pledged to the Red Cross to help accommodate Ukrainians would be used from this week.
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O’Gorman told RTE Radio yesterday that a “small number” of the pledges for vacant properties were being “drawn down” this weekend and that the number will increase in the coming week.
The minister said vacant properties will be used first, before refugees would be placed in shared accommodation with homeowners.
The government is also looking at long-term block booking of hotel accommodation to ensure there is a sufficient number of rooms available, he said. The Times has previously reported that Tifco Hotel group have already committed ten hotels to the government.
O’Gorman said planning was also underway in case of a “sudden surge at ports and airports”.
The Department of Justice said yesterday 9,547 Ukrainian refugees had arrived in Ireland since the war started last month. The Department of Foreign Affairs said it remains in contact with about 40 Irish citizens in Ukraine.
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“The department also continues to be in direct contact to provide any possible assistance and support to families with surrogacy arrangements in Ukraine,” a spokesman said.
Simon Coveney, the foreign affairs minister, will travel to Brussels today to discuss the EU’s next steps in dealing with Russia.
Coveney said yesterday that the EU continued to be united in its response to Russia’s “illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war”.
“Our discussion will be an opportunity to assess the EU actions taken so far and to consider our next steps. We have responded to Russia’s aggression, exactly as we promised we would – with unity, firmness and with determination,” he said.
