Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 March 2022
102. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if Ukrainian refugees will be treated as European Union students within the system and any implications in terms of SUSI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17107/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, the situation in Ukraine has developed very rapidly over the past number of weeks and events are continuing to unfold on a daily basis. In this uncertain environment, officials of my Department are continuing to gather as much information as possible in order to formulate recommendations for appropriate policy responses across a range of areas.
Displaced Ukrainian people arriving in Ireland are immediately being granted temporary protection, as set out in Section 60 of the International Protection Act 2015. The technical/legal status of these people is “beneficiaries of temporary protection under the EU Directive" and they are not classed as refugees. The Department is currently examining all student support options for incoming Ukrainian students.
In line with the overall Government position, my Department and agencies will work together to support Ukrainian and Irish students, whose studies have been affected by the invasion. I am working closely with the higher education sector to see what can be done to support them and facilitate the continuity of their studies. This work is ongoing.
