Taoiseach: ‘We’ll need to slow down numbers of Ukrainian refugees’
Welfare and accommodation changes are due to be passed before year end
TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar said the Government needs to act to ‘slow the numbers coming in’ from Ukraine – and that changes to welfare and accommodation rules for refugees fleeing the invasion of their country will be made before the end of the year.
While Mr Varadkar said it is ‘naive’ of politicians to think there is a button that can be pressed to stop migration, he added Ireland needs to ‘take action’ to reduce the number of Ukrainian refugees entering the country, which currently stands at around 100,000.
The Taoiseach said: ‘The numbers have been very large. It’s putting huge pressure on accommodation. We’re really struggling to find accommodation now for Ukrainians who have come to Ireland and in addition to that, people from other parts of the world seeking international protection.’
Mr Varadkar was speaking after the Irish Mail on Sunday last weekend revealed the Government was preparing to cut social welfare payments to Ukrainian refugees as it prepares for up to 50,000 more arrivals over the coming months.
The Taoiseach said currently between 500 to 800 Ukrainians enter Ireland each week, with almost a third of these coming through other European countries, which the Taoiseach said was ‘significant’.
Despite signalling moves to reduce the numbers, Mr Varadkar insisted ‘Ukrainians will still be welcome here’, adding: ‘Any Ukrainian coming to Ireland is not going to be turned away. That’s not going to happen.’
But he added: ‘We need to take action that will slow the numbers coming in so we’ve got more time to catch up on accommodation and other issues.’
Outlining what sort of action the Government is considering, he said it ‘makes sense’ to look at what other European countries are providing for Ukrainian refugees.
‘Other countries don’t offer, for example, unlimited State-provided accommodation at no cost,’ he added.
‘We’re in the situation now where we’re accommodating people in tents and people in heated cabins.
‘That’s not a situation we want to be in, but if we can slow down the numbers entering now, we have a chance of getting on top of that.’
Mr Varadkar admitted it is virtually impossible to ‘control the numbers’ of refugees and asylum seekers entering the country.
‘It is naive of politicians to think there is some button you can press that ends people coming into our country,’ he said.
‘That’s not the case, that’s not the real world. But you can manage it and manage it better.’
The Taoiseach said nothing yet has been decided by Government and that ministers are examining proposals around the issue.
‘We will still provide for a period of time, so that people can ... establish themselves in the country.’
He said changes to welfare and accommodation provisions for Ukrainians will be finalised before the end of the year, and that entitlements will differ depending on refugees’ job status or age.
‘Some are pensioners, a lot are children, some are working age, so I
‘We’re accommodating people in tents and cabins’
don’t see everyone being treated just the same because they aren’t now at the moment. So we’ll have to look at different categories differently.’
He acknowledged there are currently 14,000 Ukrainians working in Ireland, and the Government wanted to help ‘a lot more to get into the workforce’.
Mr Varadkar added: ‘I am really proud of what we achieved as a country, welcoming 100,000 Ukrainians to Ireland. I think we will look back on this period and will be proud of the fact that we did that as a country.’