A significant change to the accommodation system for those seeking refuge in Ireland is being considered by the Government as it grapples with an increasing number of people arriving from Ukraine and other countries.
Plans being drawn up are examining the possibility of asking those in accommodation to pay rent if they have a job.
This is being described by the Government as an “equity of treatment principle” and its roots lie in the accommodation crisis.
The measure is seen as most relevant to people in Direct Provision who have work and have been granted residency here.
However, the change could potentially be applied on a wider basis.
It could see the development of a more informal payment system for Ukrainians in employment who are living in homes here.
Officials are also reviewing the level of welfare supports provided to people from Ukraine in other EU countries.
They have pointed out that some of these supports run for between six to 12 months in some EU states.
No decision has yet been made on whether a similar approach might be adopted here.
The Government is also looking at renewing a call for accommodation for those fleeing the war in Ukraine.
However, many pledged properties are still being assessed from the previous appeal and this work is likely to be completed before any trawl for new accommodation begins.
Only around 15% of the thousands of properties offered since the beginning of the war in Ukraine have been taken up to date.
Just over 4,500 people are now living in this pledged accommodation.
Some of these offers of accommodation were later withdrawn and many were deemed unsuitable.
Work is also continuing on a nationwide refurbishment of old local authority buildings which will provide accommodation for up to 3,000 people.
This week Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman told the Dáil that the number of people arriving here each week from Ukraine had doubled.
Government estimates that up to 56,000 Ukrainians could be living here by the end of this month.
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Govt reviews changes to refugee accommodation system
Source: Viral Trends Report
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