Coalition considers exemptions to plans to time limit supports for Ukrainian refugees

Plans to time limit supports for Ukrainian refugees may be softened under measures being examined by Government which could see a series of exemptions to the new rules.

As part of an imminent Cabinet memo, State-provided accommodation for new arrivals from Ukraine would be limited to just 90 days. The proposed new approach resulted in a major Cabinet row over fears it would move responsibility to the Department of Housing and leave children without a route to education.

Three senior Coalition sources have confirmed that work has been ongoing in recent days to soften the proposals to allow for a series of exemptions to any plan to limit accommodation to 90 days. This would see disabled people and other vulnerable people exempted from such limits. New measures would be put in place at pre-departure which would inform refugees of the new regime and would direct them towards places to try to find private accommodation.

It is also understood that talks have been ongoing between the Department of Integration and Department of Education to ensure that pathways to education are offered for all Ukrainian children when they are in both State-provided accommodation and also privately-sourced accommodation.

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There were initial plans for a memo detailing the new measures to be brought to Cabinet this week. However due to the number of Ministers travelling abroad this week this is highly unlikely to happen.

A source said that while “nothing substantive” has been tabled on the new pre-departure measures, it would involve a new information sessions to “tell people exactly what kind of supports are in place”.

A second source said that Ukrainian parents will be offered educational supports and options “if they wish to avail of them”.

The potential softening of measures comes after Minister of State for Integration Joe O’Brien last week suggested a more graduated approach would be taken to the tapering off of supports. He said what has been reported was “not a black and white proposal” and would be more nuanced than the notion of supports being immediately removed after three months.

Meanwhile cuts to social welfare supports have also been mooted by Government though it is understood these discussions are at an early stage. A Dáil vote would be needed in order to push through any changes to social welfare rates. The Government believes that social protection rates are more generous than other EU countries.

Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Ireland has welcomed almost 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing the war. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said last week there is “a limit” on the State’s capacity to accommodate and provide for refugees and international protection applicants, and “we’re very much” at that point currently.

He said the Government did not know if it would be in a position to provide accommodation and supports for another 30,000 to 50,000 people “if that number arrived over the course of the next year”.

Coalition members have publicly and privately expressed concern over what they say are a large amount of “secondary movements” to Ireland, whereby Ukrainians who have been living for months in other parts of western Europe then come here.