Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
102. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Justice if an update will be provided on the work her Department is undertaking to formalise the status of persons arriving in Ireland from Ukraine; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16089/22]
View answerThere is a coordinated whole-of-Government response to support people arriving in Ireland who have fled the violence in Ukraine. Government Departments and services are working together to implement Ireland's commitments under the EU Temporary Protection Directive (2001/55/EC), which has been activated for the first time to grant temporary protection to displaced persons from Ukraine.
The Directive has legal effect under Section 60 of the International Protection Act 2015.
Those eligible for Temporary Protection (granted initially for one year, but renewable) will have immediate access to the labour market, social welfare, accommodation and other State supports as necessary. A whole-of-Government response is being mobilised to implement the practical arrangements to give effect to these commitments. So far, approximately 85 per cent of Ukrainians who have entered the State have been welcomed at Dublin Airport. Beneficiaries are being provided with their permission letter on arrival at the airport in the 'one-stop-shop' established by my Department for that purpose, to ensure early access to all necessary supports. Approximately 7,300 temporary protection permissions have already been issued by my Department since the activation of the EU Directive on 4 March.
Arrangements have also now been put in place to provide permission letters to those who arrived at Dublin Airport prior to 9 March (when permission letters started to issue) and to those who have arrived at other ports of entry to the State.
For people who are staying in State provided accommodation, staff from my Department are visiting these accommodation locations and will provide permission letters there.
Alternatively, permission letters can be obtained by visiting the Ukraine Support Centre in Cork Street, Dublin 8. The centre is open Monday to Friday from 9.15am to 5.00pm. On Saturdays, the centre is open from 9.15am to 3.00pm. There, people can also receive assistance from the Department of Social Protection to obtain PPSN numbers, social welfare income supports, and to receive referrals to other State services.
Arrangements are also being put in place that will allow people to obtain their permission letters from the Ukraine Support Centres in Hanover Street in Cork City and in Limerick. Further details on this will be announced shortly.
A centralised Government information portal is available at: www.gov.ie/ukraine, which is regularly updated.
My Department’s Irish Immigration website also contains a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, which can be viewed at:
www.irishimmigration.ie/faqs-for-ukraine-nationals-and-residents-of-ukraine/
