Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2024
529. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of pets which have been brought to Ireland from Ukraine in each month since the invasion; and the cost to the State in relation to this in each of those months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21715/24]
View answerSince the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, my Department continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the conflict who request it, in line with Government policy.
In the initial stages of the response, my Department assisted where possible with the accommodation of pets with their owners when Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) requested emergency temporary accommodation. This only included pets that travelled with BOTPs into Ireland and who presented to CityWest Transit Hub or at Rosslare Port.
The Deputy may also wish to be aware of erroneous commentary recently suggesting that large sums were spent by my Department on facilitating the accommodation of pets. That inaccuracy appears to have been based on an assumption that every pet arriving in Ireland (as recorded by Department of Agriculture and Food) stayed in State-provided accommodation and there was a cost incurred for every pet. This was not the case.
In November 2022, as part of the evolving response to the humanitarian crisis, a decision was taken that my Department would no longer assist BOTPs with accommodation with their pets.
Following this decision, as contracts were renewed, accommodation providers were informed that my Department would no longer pay for the accommodation of pets or other ancillary services. Any arrangement for the accommodation of pets would be a matter for the provider and BOTPs to agree. My Department no longer pays for pet accommodation.
The specific information sought by the Deputy is not available. It is not possible to estimate how much was spent on accommodation for pets as the invoices sent to my Department did not always differentiate between costs associated with pets. It is also not possible to provide a monthly breakdown of the number of pets accommodated in State supported accommodation and the cost associated to this. My Department had no role in monitoring the arrival of pets from Ukraine and would just have been made aware of their presence if their owners requested emergency temporary accommodation.
