Newly arriving Ukrainians to receive €38.80 per week

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has said Ireland must continue to support the people of Ukraine and not turn its back on them as the war continues.

However, Mr Ryan said this would have to be done in a manageable way and the legislation approved by Cabinet this morning to reduce supports for new arrivals from Ukraine reflects this.

He said these changes, which moved a step closer to enactment, will reassure both Irish people and Ukrainians that Ireland continues to provide shelter in a managed and not a chaotic way.

Ukrainians arriving in Ireland in the coming weeks will receive an expense allowance of €38.80 a week, which is down from the current jobseeker’s rate of €232 per week.

Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys brought legislation to the Cabinet to give effect to the Government decision taken before Christmas to reduce welfare payments for new arrivals from Ukraine.

It is expected that the legislation will be moved in the Dáil next week and it is likely to be passed by the Oireachtas before the end of the month.

The legislation will also mean that those receiving the new weekly payment will be required to engage with the Department of Social Protection’s Public Employment Service.

There they will receive training and skills support to help them into employment.

Under the changes, people arriving here from Ukraine will only get a place in State accommodation for 90 days.

A long-term plan around asylum accommodation is currently being drafted and it is expected to go to Cabinet in the coming weeks.

Among the options under consideration is a proposal that those in public accommodation over a long period could be asked to make a contribution towards the cost.

There are around 500 people from Ukraine arriving in Ireland each week, according to figures presented to Cabinet today.

Almost 104,000 people from Ukraine have come to Ireland since the outbreak of the war with Russia.

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No set target for a sustainable level of migration

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the Government has not set a target for a sustainable level of migration to Ireland from Ukraine.

“We don’t have a particular figure or target,” he said, adding that it is “impossible to predict” how many will continue to arrive in Ireland from Ukraine following the adjustment of benefits being offered here.

“We would expect to see a certain reduction in the number of people coming,” he said.

But he added that “one of the big fears we have is that President Putin will use the cold weather in this cold winter period to target civilian infrastructure”.

Putin could “target the power stations, because he is using migration as a weapon in this war, as well as energy, as well as food,” Mr Varadkar warned.

“Roughly 100,000 Ukrainians have come to Ireland. About 20,000 of those left. 80,000 are still here,” Mr Varadkar noted.

“I think in ten or 20 years time we’ll look back on this and be very proud of what we’ve done as a country in welcoming so many people who have been fleeing war in Ukraine,” Mr Varadkar said.

Additional reporting: Karen Creed