Payment scheme for hosting Ukrainian refugees opens for applications

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

The State’s €400 monthly payment for those hosting Ukrainian refugees has opened for applications, with the first payments to be given on Tuesday, August 9th.

The Government agreed in May to introduce the monthly payment to hosts per property where Ukrainians are living, in recognition of the higher cost of bills during a cost-of-living crisis.

The payment may be backdated to March 4th and will be available until the end of March next year, a statement by the Department of Integration said on Tuesday.

“The payment is a recognition of the generosity of people who have made accommodation available to victims of a humanitarian crisis, and it is linked to a minimum hosting commitment of six months,” it said.

The Republic has so far taken in around 42,000 refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine – the majority of them women and children.

It emerged earlier this month that Ireland had run out of state accommodation for arriving Ukrainian refugees – resulting in Ukrainians being temporarily housed in tents at the Gormanston military camp in Co Meath.

Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman said: “Since the start of the Ukrainian crisis and the arrival in Ireland of those fleeing war, a warm welcome has been extended by the Irish public to those in need of shelter and safety.

“Offers of accommodation from the general public are appreciated and they greatly assist with the challenge of sourcing suitable accommodation for some 40,000 people who have arrived here.”

Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys, whose department will issue the payment, said: “I am pleased to support Minister O’Gorman in recognising the contribution of those who opened their homes and provided accommodation to people from Ukraine fleeing the war in their country.

“I am happy to say that this scheme is now open to hosts to make their application from today, 26th July, on MyWelfare.ie.”