Skip to main content
Normal View

Ukraine War

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022

Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Questions (29, 63, 74, 76)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

29. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the social welfare supports offered and accessed by persons and families that are fleeing the Ukrainian crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14570/22]

View answer

Neale Richmond

Question:

63. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps that she has taken to ensure that Ukrainian refugees have access to social protection services upon their arrival in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14467/22]

View answer

Emer Higgins

Question:

74. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection the services being provided by her Department to individuals and families arriving in Ireland that are fleeing the war in Ukraine; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14661/22]

View answer

John Lahart

Question:

76. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the supports her Department is providing for persons arriving from Ukraine including supports for those arriving under the EU Temporary Protection Directive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14820/22]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 63, 74 and 76 together.

On 4 March 2022, the Council of the European Union unanimously adopted the implementing decision regarding the Temporary Protection Directive, due to the mass influx of persons fleeing Ukraine as a consequence of the war.  This means that people arriving from Ukraine have been granted the status to avail of income supports from my Department. 

A reception centre has been set up in Dublin Airport where officials from my Department and the Department of Justice are available to meet people fleeing the war in Ukraine.  They will be given correspondence by the Department of Justice confirming that they have been granted Temporary Protection and are permitted to reside in Ireland for a period of 1 year, which may be extended.  

Where accommodation is required, they will be referred to the International Protection Accommodation Service of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, who will also have staff onsite at the airport.  If accommodation isn’t required immediately, it can be requested at any time later on.

In the case of an unaccompanied child under age 18 years who arrives in Ireland seeking temporary protection, they will be referred to the Child and Family Agency (TUSLA), who will provide them with the relevant supports.

The priority for my Department is the allocation of PPSNs and the provision of immediate financial supports.  A fast-track approach in processing these supports has been put in place which includes a simplified decision-making process and quick processing of PPSNs to allow access to public services.  People will be eligible for financial support initially under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme and will be deemed to have satisfied the Habitual Residence Condition and the relevant means test.  Thereafter arrangements will be made to approve the appropriate primary social welfare payments.  We have also arranged for payments such as child benefit to be made within a very short period. 

The Ukraine is not covered by EU Social Security Coordination regulations and nor does Ireland have a bilateral agreement with the Ukraine on Social Security.  However, social security contributions are not required to access social assistance payments such as the Supplementary Welfare Allowance.

Interpretation services are available at the reception centre in Dublin Airport and are also available by phone if required to assist Ukrainian citizens to access my Department’s services.

A dedicated webpage has been published on the Department’s website  to ensure those arriving from Ukraine are aware of the supports and services available to them.  The webpage is entitled ‘Social Welfare supports for those arriving from Ukraine under the EU Temporary Protection Directive’. 

The information on the webpage is in Plain English and also in the Ukrainian and Russian languages.  It also has a list of the all locations of all Intreo centres or local social welfare offices.

Top
Share