Ukrainians get five times more welfare than other refugees

IRELAND is paying Ukrainian refugees €220 a week – more than five times as much as other refugees.

Concerns are growing across the Government over Ireland’s ‘outlier’ status when it comes to the scale of welfare payments for Ukrainian refugees when compared to other European states.

Leo Varadkar hinted at potential for changes in areas such as welfare in response to a recent parliamentary question from Independent TD Marc MacSharry. The latter asked if the Taoiseach was aware ‘that while we provide €38.80 per week for those seeking international protection, we are a complete outlier in the EU and neighbouring countries with the provision of €220 per week for those fleeing Ukraine’.

Deputy MacSharry said: ‘According to the European Centre for Parliamentary Research and Documentation, this is more than twice that provided by the next highest country, Finland, at €107, and almost 28 times more than the €7.90 per week provided in Belgium.’

He continued: ‘Such an anomaly amounts to the effective marketing of Ireland as the preferred location for those fleeing Ukraine.

‘Will the Government adjust our policy to provide an element of balance with other countries, given the inordinate pressures on accommodation in this country?’ The Taoiseach said: ‘The benefit of the temporary protection directive gives [people] particular rights under EU law. We are constantly looking at what our offering is for refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine versus what is offered in other EU countries.’

In an indication that some form of change is coming, Mr Varadkar added: ‘We have to be sensible about these things and we try to align what is done in Ireland with what is done in other European countries.’

Mr MacSharry said: ‘The Government’s approach has been reckless in the extreme in the face of the worst accommodation crisis since the 1840s even before the outbreak of war.’