State accommodation for arriving Ukrainians to be limited to 90 days

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

The Government’s offer of State accommodation for arriving Ukrainians is to be limited to 90 days from Thursday.

The decision was approved at Cabinet in January and legislation was passed last week.

Under the revised plan, Ukrainian refugees will be provided with accommodation for a maximum of 90 days and will be provided with food, laundry and integration support in Designated Accommodation Centres.

Their allowance will be reduced from €232 to €38.80 per week while living in Designated Accommodation Centres.

They will still have access to child benefit and additional needs payments if they meet eligibility requirements.

They will also be required to engage with the State’s employment service.

Once they leave the centres, they will be able to apply for social welfare and look to source their own accommodation.

The Department for Integration said the first five centres to be confirmed under the new legislation are: Ballyogan Road in Dublin City, which can house 392 people; Stradbally in Co Laois, where 950 can be housed; Fernbank in Limerick City for 250 people; Punchestown in Co Kildare where 378 can be housed; and Gerald Griffin Street in Cork City for housing 107 people.

The Government said its current offering was unsustainable and changes were needed to meet obligations to future arrivals.

It has said the changes being made will bring Ireland’s provision for Ukrainians in line with other EU countries.

The changes will not affect people from Ukraine who arrived in Ireland before this policy came into force and are already registered for temporary protection, nor other asylum seekers.