Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
143. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Justice if an update will be provided on the efforts of her Department to support Ukrainian refugees fleeing war; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16098/22]
View answer570. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Justice the steps that are being taken to ensure that Ukrainian refugees are given equal rights and access to services in Ireland upon their arrival; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14470/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 570 together.
There is a co-ordinated 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.
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 Centre in Hanover Street in Cork City and from the third Support Centre that will open shortly 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 at: www.irishimmigration.ie/faqs-for-ukraine-nationals-and-residents-of-ukraine/.
I can assure the Deputy that my Government colleagues and I will continue to work with our EU counterparts on any further EU-wide measures that might be needed to assist those fleeing Ukraine. However, the immediate and overriding priority is to assist those who have arrived and continue to arrive in Ireland to find safety with access to state supports as needed, as part of a whole of Government response.
Notwithstanding this, given the very extreme pressures being faced by Moldova in the current circumstances, the Government has agreed, as part of an EU response, to offer to accept from Moldova up to 500 people who have fled the war in Ukraine.
