NewsIreland slashes benefits for Ukrainian refugees in state lodgings

Ireland slashes benefits for Ukrainian refugees in state lodgings

The Irish government has decided. Ukrainians will get less.

Images source: © Getty Images | Sefanyak_Yurii

15 May 2024 20:41

The Irish government has decided to substantially reduce benefits for many Ukrainian refugees, decreasing the weekly allowance from €232 to roughly £33. This reduction applies specifically to Ukrainians who are unemployed and residing in state-provided accommodations like hotels, where meals are also provided.

Approved on Tuesday evening, this change, however, will not impact those living in state-rented homes or state-provided accommodations without meal provisions, such as repurposed school buildings.

According to data from the Irish Ministry of Integration, 46,981 Ukrainians living in state-provided accommodations with meals made up more than half of all Ukrainians currently in Ireland by early May. Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, around 100,000 Ukrainian refugees have sought shelter in Ireland, though some have since departed. In February, the Irish Central Statistics Office (CSO) put the number of Ukrainians at about 80,000, noting that just under 18,000 were registered as employed.

The Irish government expects that around 27,000 people will be affected by the benefits cut, set to take effect in 12 weeks. In March, new arrivals from Ukraine were subjected to a reduced weekly benefit of €38.80. Prime Minister Simon Harris defended the decision, asserting the need for equal treatment of all Ukrainian refugees and emphasizing that Ireland's approach combines compassion with common sense.

In recent weeks, Ireland has experienced a surge in migration pressure, part of which is attributed to illegal immigrants favouring it over the United Kingdom due to the latter's potential deportations to Rwanda.