The State is attempting to block-book entire hotels for up to a year as it scrambles to find accommodation for people fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

As the war widens and the numbers seeking shelter on arrival here increase, talks are at an advanced stage about the long-term booking of a 100-bedroom hotel in Cork City specifically as an accommodation centre.

It is understood that a similar approach is being considered in other cities where suitable hotels are available.

However, with more than 5,000 PPS numbers already issued to Ukrainian refugees since the start of the war and with numbers arriving here increasing — up to 450 per day in recent days — there are concerns about the State’s ability to house all arrivals in the short term .

In Cork alone, an estimated 1,700 Ukrainian refugees are staying in hotels and guesthouses but sources say authorities are frantically planning for up to 10,000 in the coming weeks.

About 240, mostly women and children, have landed at Cork Airport on flights from Poland in the last two weeks. Extra immigration officers have been deployed there, alongside interpreters and Irish Red Cross volunteers who distribute food, personal hygiene items, and goodie bags for children.

About a third have sought asylum, necessitating processing in Dublin, with arrangements in place for taxi and bus transport.

Wojciech Bialek, the CEO of Together Razem, a Polish community organization in Cork, is one of the community leaders helping to facilitate safe arrival of refugees from Ukraine. Picture: Jim Coughlan

There have been some delays due to issues with securing accommodation in hotels in Cork City, Clare, and Kerry.

In the early stages, around 10 to 20 Ukrainians were on each flight, most with contacts in Ireland who were able to provide them with accommodation.

The numbers are now at between 30 and 40 per flight, including the first to arrive here with injuries.

Those arriving now have little or no English and need accommodation. The city’s Covid Community Response teams, set up during the pandemic, have been reactivated and repurposed to support refugees.

One of the three support centres announced by Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys on Thursday has opened in Cork’s social welfare offices on Hanover St to help Ukrainian refugees obtain PPS numbers, social welfare support, and give them access to other State services.

Representatives of the Citizens Information service and community welfare officers are on site to provide advice and support. Interpretation services are available at the centres.

Wojciech Bialek, CEO of Together-Razem, a charity which helps integrate Polish and Eastern European migrants here and which has played a key role in supporting Ukrainian refugees, said the Church could play a role in providing accommodation.

“With the bombing spreading to western Ukraine now, I believe we will see even more people fleeing now,” he said.

“I know Minister Simon Coveney is visiting Poland so I would encourage him to look at how they are coping and to find that international best practice and implement it here.

“I think the charity sector and housing associations could help too. The Church, with its many property assets, could also help.

We all have the same interests — we don’t want the Government to be under too much pressure, we just want to help them, and help Ukraine.

“It’s about putting all hands on deck to help each other deal with this situation.”

Meanwhile, US president Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping spoke for nearly two hours yesterday as the White House sought to deter Beijing from providing military or economic assistance for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Biden warned Mr Xi there would be “consequences” if China gave material support to Russia. China’s foreign ministry said Mr Xi told Mr Biden the war in Ukraine must end as soon as possible and called on Nato nations to hold dialogue with Moscow.

“The Ukraine crisis is something we don’t want to see,” Chinese state media quoted Mr Xi as saying.