Ireland says bill for Ukrainian refugees could hit 2.5 billion euros

DUBLIN - The cost of hosting tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees in Ireland could hit 2.5 billion euros ($2.79 billion) and an additional 35,000 homes may be required, Ireland's housing minister said on Wednesday.

"You could be looking at a figure of 1.7 billion and that could rise, depending on how many people come in, to about 2.5 billion" euros," Darragh O'Brien told RTE radio, citing a memorandum brought to Cabinet on Tuesday on the costs for "all the needs" of the Ukrainians resettling in Ireland.

($1 = 0.8963 euros)