Government considering limiting accommodation rights for newly-arrived Ukrainians

Newly arrived Ukrainian people would only be offered accommodation by the State for a certain period of time before having to find their own place to live, under plans being considered by the Government.

The approach, sources said, would bring Ireland into line with other EU member states, where benefits and accommodation can be more limited.

The new policy was discussed last week at a meeting of the Cabinet subcommittee on the response to the Ukraine crisis, and was among measures contained in a paper drawn up by officials working on housing tens of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers who have fled to Ireland from Ukraine and elsewhere.

One Minister said such an approach would be a “recognition of moving to a more sustainable reality”, and while senior sources said that no decision had been taken – or would be taken in isolation – other Government figures believe a shake-up is now likely to happen. Any change would only apply to new arrivals, not to those already being accommodated here.

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A well-placed source involved in the discussions said the accommodation and welfare offering to Ukrainians who have relocated here is being looked at again in the wake of a decision by EU member states to renew the temporary protection directive until March 2025.

This emergency measure allows those fleeing the Ukraine conflict free movement and rights to welfare, work and accommodation in the EU.

Some in the Coalition believe recent announcements of large-scale temporary accommodation facilities for Ukrainians may be an indication of how policy is already shifting in the area.

A briefing document sent to local representatives outlines how a new 950-bed facility will be set up on the Glendalough Estate over the winter solely for those fleeing Ukraine. They will only stay on the site for a few weeks, as opposed to being put into hotels and other accommodation where they then become part of the local community.

The briefing document outlines that while the facility is contracted to provide services for 32 weeks, residents will stay for only a “number of weeks”, with support services provided to “assist [them] in adjusting to life in Ireland and to aid better integration and independence”. The accommodation is heated cabins contained within larger “marquee type structures”.

People will begin moving into the Glendalough Estate, which is used as the venue for the Beyond The Pale music, art and food festival, from November 20th.

A further 950 Ukrainians are set to be accommodated at the Stradbally Estate in Co Laois next month, and 378 beds will be provided for those fleeing the war at the Punchestown Event Centre in Co Kildare.

The Glendalough venue will be operated by a company called Pastures New Limited, which the Department of Integration told local representatives has experience in “human welfare supports to asylum communities in direct provision settings”.

Since February of last year, the State has provided accommodation to more than 97,500 people seeking protection – about 73,000 of whom have fled the war in Ukraine.

That in turn has put unprecedented pressure on the State’s system for receiving and integrating migrants, most acutely in accommodation. In the last six months, local representatives were told, there has been an average of 600 people seeking accommodation every week.

The Coalition has put an accommodation working group in place, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, to work on the crisis. The curtailment of accommodation could interact with the existing housing crisis to act as a disincentive for more people to come to the State.