LAST UPDATE | 28 Apr

THERE HAS BEEN a strong political reaction to the Government’s decision to begin withdrawing accommodation supports to Ukrainian refugees in Ireland. 

The move has been welcomed by Sinn Féin and Aontú, but heavily criticised by the Labour Party, the Social Democrats and the Green Party.

Speaking on his way into Cabinet this morning, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the decision to begin withdrawing State-provided commercial accommodation has been the “position” of government for “quite some time”.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan secured the agreement yesterday afternoon at the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs. 

Ukrainian people who arrived in Ireland before March 2024 will no longer be entitled to State-contracted commercial accommodation, with the exception of “highly vulnerable” people or those with barriers to independence. 

Currently 16,000 Ukrainian refugees are housed in State-provided accommodation.

In order to continue being accommodated, it’s been proposed that people who fall into those categories will be required to apply and self-declare their need for accommodation, supported by evidence. This accommodation will be in a different location and setting and will be similar to designated accommodation centres.

The withdrawal will begin in August on a phased basis over six months. People affected will be given a minimum of three months’ notice.  

The properties currently in use will be returned to tourism, alternative use and potentially the private rental sector.

It was also agreed to wind down the €600 Accommodation Recognition Payment Scheme from the third quarter of this year, to be completed by March next year.

A reduction to €400 could be introduced in September. This will affect around 42,000 people in hosted accommodation.

Asked today about what constitutes a “vulnerable” person, the Taoiseach said this has yet to be fleshed out, “but clearly women and children and people with disabilities and so forth, elderly or frail people who need support”.

He said the move away from the letting of commercial accommodation – such as hotels – has been ongoing and “has been happening fairly naturally to date”.

This will continue and will become policy, he said.

“This has to come before Cabinet in the form of a Cabinet memo, where we will see greater detail and specifics in respect of that, but it’s going to be more gradual.” 

‘Really problematic’

The Refugee Council’s Nick Henderson said the Government was exhibiting two differing approaches towards the continuing war in Ukraine: raising concern about the humanitarian situation while withdrawing support.

Henderson said the EU requires that Ukrainians fleeing the Russian war are offered accommodation, which in Ireland manifests as a 30-day offer of accommodation.

He said the move to “wind down” State accommodation to Ukrainians would be “really, really problematic”, adding that some will have the means to move out but there is concern about the difficulty with the private rental market in Ireland.

He said it could not be overstated how important the ARP payment is, and that for many was the only source of accommodation for Ukrainians arriving in Ireland or leaving hotels.

“It’s a crucial safety net to avoid ultimately people falling into homelessness – 42,000 people living in that type of accommodation – but for that they would be going to the private rented market itself,” he told Newstalk.

“It really is a crucial safeguard in that respect.”

He added that there appeared to be differing approaches in Government to the war in Ukraine, with the Taoiseach and the Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee raising the humanitarian challenges faced by Ukraine.

“At the same time then the Department of Justice said these supports, which have been generous, increasingly less generous in recent years, would be wound down and don’t seem to acknowledge and don’t take into account whatsoever that the war continues to exist. So there’s two differing approaches.”

Political reaction

The decision was heavily criticised by Labour TDs Ged Nash and Ciarán Ahern today, with Nash dubbing the plans “immoral” and “unethical”. 

The Louth TD said the decision is “inconsistent” with recent statements made by the Taoiseach in relation to Ukraine. 

“Remember what this is. This is Ireland’s unique contribution as a military neutral country to people who are fleeing war on the continent of Europe,” Nash said, adding that providing accommodation has been Ireland’s “unique” way of providing “solidarity” with the people of Ukraine “in their hour of need”. 

Similarly, Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice said his party was concerned about the Government’s plans. 

The Cork South Central TD made the point that the decision may put additional pressure on the private rental market given that the war in Ukraine is ongoing and people may not feel safe to return home. 

Green Party Senator Malcolm Noonan said the move will create a “significant challenge” for many Ukrainian families. 

He accused the Government of “pandering” to an “anti-immigration narrative”.

Elsewhere, the move was welcomed by Sinn Féin and Aontú. 

Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said the measures were supposed to be temporary and were provided at a time of “significant need for Ukraine”. 

He argued that the supports should not exceed what is offered by other countries and said they have had a knock-on negative impact on the tourism industry.

“Nobody from outside of this country should be giving any support that’s not available to citizens here,” he said. 

Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty said his party warned the Government that the Accommodation Recognition Scheme that is in place for Ukrainian refugees was “deeply unfair” and “distorting the market”. 

“So we welcome that they are coming to our view, late in the day. But it is very late in the day in relation to that, and there has been significant impacts as a result of that,” he said. 

Additional reporting by Jane Matthews at Leinster House and Emma van Oosterhout at Government Buildings