Ukrainians told to pay their own way to stay in Ireland

Tens of thousands of Ukrainians receiving housing supports from the State will not be eligible to remain here under strict new rules.

Yesterday, the Cabinet approved measures to wind down the level of support given to those who have fled the Russian invasion since 2022.

State-provided accommodation will be phased out, while rent subsidies – which were at €800 – will be reduced to €400, and a voluntary return programme will be developed.

The programme will offer cash incentives to those who leave the country. A pathway to remain here beyond the end of the Temporary Protection Directive – which expires next March – will be offered, but only to those who can pay their own way.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said yesterday: "Not everyone will get permission to remain."

Those who wish to stay in Ireland will have to meet strict criteria:

• They must be employed for the previous six months, and earning a minimum annual salary of €29,432;
• They must not be in receipt of accommodation supports from the State; and
• They must be resident in Ireland under the Temporary Protection Directive for at least one year.

There are over 50,000 Ukrainian refugees in receipt of State-provided accommodation, or the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) subsidising rents, who would not meet the criteria to remain in Ireland.

That represents around 60% of the 84,000 Ukrainians here. Mr. O’Callaghan said: "We’re also putting in place proposals to enable those who are here from Ukraine, who are working, who may wish to stay in Ireland. The [Justice, Home Affairs and Migration] Department will develop a transition scheme to enable those who want to stay… and who have the capacity to stay… to stay here."

He added: "The scheme that’s going to open up in September 2026 will have eligibility criteria for it, and one of the criteria will be employment or self-employment for a period of time and a salary.

"So, as a State, we’re perfectly entitled to set out criteria in [those] terms."

Asked about the eligibility criteria and if those who do not meet it would have to go home, the Minister said: "Not everyone will get permission to remain, obviously."

TD Jim O'Callaghan, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration (RollingNews.ie)

Applications for those wishing to stay will open in September under the Temporary Protection Transition Scheme, which the Department of Justice said is to "incentivise labour market participation, upskilling, and progression to independent living, while also providing clarity and certainty for people in advance of the expiry of Temporary Protection."

Those who qualify will be granted permission to remain for an initial two years, which can be renewed for a further two years, opening up a path towards naturalisation.

The permission will be based on the inclusion of the whole family living here under temporary protection.

The average Ukrainian working here earns €540 a week, which is an annual salary of €28,080, just shy of the Government’s threshold.

Around 16,000 Ukrainians are still in State accommodation, while around 42,000 are in receipt of the ARP. Around 5,000 of those who are considered vulnerable will be allowed to stay in state-provided accommodation.

At present, if a recipient of Temporary Protection leaves a Designated Accommodation Centre, they can apply for standard social protection assistance, subject to meeting the eligibility conditions.

Government sources signalled they aren’t inclined to begin issuing deportation orders to those not entitled to remain, once the Temporary Protection directive is lapsed.

However, they could be directed towards a voluntary returns programme, which could include cash payments to assist with the cost of leaving the State.

Those impacted in the first phase will be notified in the coming weeks. Others will be notified as soon as possible, but not less than three months in advance. They will then need to make their own accommodation arrangements or alternative plans.

Junior justice minister Colm Brophy explained: "We’re not looking to send people home. We believe the majority of Ukrainians who are here, and want to remain in Ireland, will have the ability to support themselves and actually do want to work.

"We also have a vulnerability cohort where we’re recognising that, in circumstances where there is genuine vulnerability, we will be able to see how we can facilitate those."

TD Colm Brophy, Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. (RollingNews.ie)

Mr. O’Callaghan admitted the Temporary Protection Directive may be extended at an EU level next year, depending on the war in Ukraine.

He said: "Regardless of Temporary Protection being extended or not, other EU member states have already implemented programmes of a similar nature, which run parallel to the current temporary protection status. So it’s not interlocked to [that] protection status."

Under the plans, the Government has agreed to phase out accommodation that has been provided free to Ukrainians since 2022, starting with those commercially contracted by the State.

This will start in August and finish by March next year. There are about 16,000 Ukrainians in commercial State-supported accommodation, and over 40,000 in subsidised accommodation in private homes.

Once people leave State-contracted commercial accommodation and move to independent accommodation arrangements, they will be entitled to standard social welfare, subject to meeting the eligibility conditions.

The ARP will be reduced to €400 a month. Mr. O’Callaghan said he believes most of the 42,000 recipients will likely stay in the same accommodation.

With regards to the 16,000 in State-backed private accommodation, he said: "Very many of them may be vulnerable individuals. We calculate approximately 5,000 of them will continue… in State contracted accommodation."

He said the extra 11,000, many of whom are working, will be able to seek accommodation through friends or in the market. He added that "it’s only fair" people who are working, and up to now getting free State accommodation, should provide for their own accommodation.

A spokesman for the Department confirmed that while the permission scheme will require people to be in independent accommodation, there is also provision being made for people who would find it difficult to achieve self-sufficiency and require ongoing accommodation.

The Department will reduce spending on Ukrainians from € 1.2 billion a year to €600 million.

*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.