The Irish government plans to reduce the length of stay for newly arrived Ukrainian refugees in public housing from 90 to 30 days. The changes were agreed by a government subcommittee on the evening of November 3.
This is reported by RTE.
Until now, Ukrainians could stay in state-run housing for three months. However, the government warns that at the current rate of nearly 50 new arrivals per day, available places could run out as early as this month.
Since February 2022, more than 120 000 Ukrainians have received temporary protection in Ireland, of which approximately 83 000 remain in the country.
Justice Minister Jim OʼCallaghan said Ireland remained one of the most generous EU countries in providing housing for refugees and people seeking temporary protection, but said the surge in arrivals from Ukraine was putting significant pressure on the accommodation system.
"If the arrival trend continues, as in September and October, we will have to look for new housing options," the minister noted.
The government has also agreed that asylum seekers who work will have to make a weekly financial contribution towards the cost of living in public housing. Contributions are being considered ranging from €15 to €238 per week, depending on income. The system is expected to take between 9 and 12 months to implement.
At the same time, organizations that help refugees are sharply criticizing the governmentʼs plans.
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