GOVERNMENT IS REVISITING the idea of limiting social welfare supports for Ukrainian refugees, The Journal understands.
An overhaul of the whole Ukraine refugee response is on the cards, with significant changes due to be made in areas such social protection, education and housing.
The idea of cutting financial supports was first floated earlier this year when a confidential Cabinet report found that Ireland is one of only three EU countries paying refugees from Ukraine full social welfare benefits.
The cabinet sub-committee on Ukraine at the time was given a report which noted that Ireland, alongside Belgium and Germany, was giving Ukrainian refugees “social welfare entitlements equivalent to that of a citizen”.
The idea of cutting back supports was ultimately put on the shelf. When asked this week why the government was revisiting the proposal, senior sources said 30% of Ukrainians arriving to Ireland are coming in from other European countries.
As a result, government is “weighing up what’s possible” in terms of [social welfare] reductions”, they said.
It comes after Micheál Martin yesterday claimed there was a current “phenomenon” which sees people from Ukraine arriving in Ireland having been based in other European countries. The Tánaiste said such actions are putting pressure on accommodation options. He said it was something that would have to be examined and clearly quantified.
Martin’s comments yesterday were made after what has been described as a heated Cabinet discussion around the proposal of limiting state accommodation provided to refugees from Ukraine to three months before they must find an alternative.
There was no memo brought to Cabinet on the matter, with the coalition leaders deferring the sign off of the idea for a later date.
Martin confirmed that there is a “wide variety” of measures to be discussed in the short-term, with a call on changes to the government’s support response to be made very shortly.
Senior sources said that aside from accommodation supports, Ukrainians coming from other countries are also travelling over to avail of the generous supports, which is something they say can’t be overlooked.
The Tánaiste yesterday acknowledged to reporters that it is a “possibility” that this is the case. His comments come as Ukrainians have been housed in tents in recent weeks as the accommodation crisis shows no signs of abating.
While those in government have said “a whole re-packaging of supports” is likely to be announced, there is currently no agreement at Cabinet level as to what the overall picture might look like.
While discussions were heated around the Cabinet table yesterday, it is understood concerns were raised as where Ukrainian refugees will go after the three months if such a proposal of time-limited accommodation is adopted.
A government spokesperson for the Tánaiste said while there was a discussion at Cabinet on the issue of accommodation, there is currently no change to existing policy.
He said 74,000 Ukrainians are currently being housed in State-provided accommodation, adding that it’s a question of sustainability.
He added that Ireland does offer more supports than the rest of Europe, while a government spokesperson for the Taoiseach said Leo Varadkar knows that this is something that needs monitoring and further discussion at Cabinet.
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