€7.4m a month paid out to refugee hosts

State considers reducing rates

THE State is paying €7.4million a month to 9,300 people who are hosting Ukrainian refugees in their homes.

Ahead of changes to social welfare rates for newly arriving Ukrainian refugees by the end of this month, Integration Minister Roderic O’gorman indicated the number of refugees could continue to rise.

He also did not rule out suggestions from Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys that rates could be reduced for all Ukrainian refugees in Ireland in State-provided accommodation.

New figures, released to Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin following a parliamentary question to Minister O’gorman, confirmed that 21,136 people who have fled the war in Ukraine are currently living in accommodation pledged by members of the public. Those who either offer vacant accommodation or host refugees in their own homes are provided with €800 a month.

Minister O’gorman confirmed yesterday there was a “significant increase” in the number of refugees who arrived last week.

As reported by the Irish Mirror, the number of arrivals had fallen since the Government announced it was cutting the weekly social welfare rate of those in State-provided accommodation from €232 to €38.80 a week. However, the number of arrivals increased to 628 from 390 in a week. Minister O’gorman stated he expects high numbers again this week.

In the Dail on Wednesday, Minister Humphreys said “down the road, we may have to make the decision that anyone in State-provided accommodation, regardless of what date they arrived on, they will only receive a payment of €38.80”.

Speaking yesterday, the Integration Minister did not rule that out. Mr O’gorman said: “We continue to keep both the social welfare arrangements and the accommodation arrangements for Ukrainians here in Ireland under the Temporary Protection Directive under review.