Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
1148. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of supports for property owners who make their properties available for Ukrainian or other refugees; the amount that has been spent on these schemes to date; and the maximum payment made to any one property owner under these schemes. [43534/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of accommodation for Ukrainian or other refugees who indicate that they require such accommodation on arrival into Ireland, or in circumstances where privately arranged accommodation is no longer suitable, is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
The Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has introduced a €400 ‘Accommodation Recognition Payment’ for individuals hosting people who are beneficiaries of Temporary Protection having fled the conflict in Ukraine. Payment is made monthly in arrears.
The payment is a recognition of the generosity of people who have made private accommodation available to victims of a humanitarian crisis, and it is linked to a minimum hosting commitment of six months.
Where a host has provided such accommodation, the payment may be backdated to 4 March 2022 and will be made available until the end of March 2023.
Payment of the ‘Accommodation Recognition Payment’ is administered by my Department on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and I am happy to support Minister O’Gorman in recognising the contribution of those who opened their homes and houses to those fleeing the war in Ukraine.
To date, payments totalling €3.36 million have issued in respect of the scheme, with a maximum payment of €2,000 in respect of any one property in respect of the period from March to July.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
