The Irish government has approved plans to phase out state-provided accommodation for Ukrainian migrants and reduce benefits for those living in private rentals.
The decision is expected to impact around 16,000 Ukrainians currently staying in government-funded housing.
Since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, approximately 125,000 Ukrainians have been granted temporary protection in Ireland. Reports indicate that the government has spent over €438 million ($516 million) on housing support for about half of them.
RT reports: The government sealed the scheme to cut housing benefits for Ukrainians who arrived in Ireland before March 2024 on Monday. The move is set to affect some 16,000 Ukrainian migrants living in state-provided accommodation, save for those unable to live on their own and “highly vulnerable.”
Asked on Tuesday what exactly constitutes the latter category, Prime Minister Micheal Martin admitted that the government was still fleshing it out, adding that it would likely include “women and children and people with disabilities and so forth, elderly or frail people who need support.”
The withdrawal of state-provided accommodation will begin in August, with those affected to receive a minimum of three months’ notice. The properties used to house the migrants will be returned to tourism, alternative use, and potentially private rental, according to local media.
Apart from ending state-provided accommodation, the government opted to sharply reduce the Accommodation Recognition Payment Scheme from €600 to €400. The move, expected to be implemented in September and completed by March of next year, will affect a further 42,000 Ukrainians residing in hosted accommodation.
The government plans have been harshly criticized by pro-migrant groups and opposition politicians, who slammed them as “immoral and unethical” and bound to become “really problematic” for many Ukrainian families.
Last week, Irish Migration Minister Colm Brophy said the government has been considering offering payouts to Ukrainians to encourage them to leave and repatriate. The minister argued that Dublin had offered unique benefits to Ukrainians, pointing out that no other EU states had such programs.
An estimated 4.35 million Ukrainians are registered for temporary protection across the bloc. In recent months, numerous EU states, including the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Poland, and Hungary, have moved to curb social programs for Ukrainian migrants.