Coalition criticised over accommodating Ukrainians in State

Those who fled war not able to count time spent in Republic to date when considering eligibility for social housing

Campaigners have warned that Ukrainians will be ineligible for social housing and risk being forced into the private rental sector. Photograph: Getty Images
Campaigners have warned that Ukrainians will be ineligible for social housing and risk being forced into the private rental sector. Photograph: Getty Images

The Government has been accused of creating a “housing dead end” for Ukrainians following a Cabinet decision this week.

Measures approved on Tuesday mean that people who fled war in Ukraine will not be able to count time spent here to date when considering eligibility for social housing.

Campaigners have warned that Ukrainians will be ineligible for social housing and risk being forced into the private rental sector as accommodation recognition payments are cut and State-provided accommodation is reduced.

Under a decision taken at Cabinet on Tuesday, new laws governing entitlements to social housing for migrants will explicitly spell out that Ukrainians will not be regarded as “habitually resident” in the State while they were here under temporary protection. That protection is a status which enables people to work and live here having fled the war.

Being habitually resident is a key factor for determining eligibility for social housing in the State.

The Department of Housing said local authorities are already proceeding on this basis, but that the move will copper-fasten the approach.

Attorney General Rossa Fanning advised there was a need to strengthen the regulatory framework in this area by putting arrangements on a “more robust legislative footing,” a department spokesman said.

Changes in housing support creating ‘frightening situation’ for Ukrainian familiesOpens in new window ]

The decision would likely limit options for Ukrainians in the Republic once the temporary protection directive ends in March 2027. At that stage many Ukranians will have been in the State for five years.

Brian Killoran, national co-ordinator of the Ukraine Civil Society Forum, said the time already spent here should confer a right for Ukrainians to a more secure status and should also count towards Irish nationality.

“Policy decisions, such as the decision by Cabinet to exclude time spent on temporary protection as being eligible for social housing in the future, continue to view those individuals as only guests of the State and limit their integration rather than support it,” Mr Killoran said.

“This move risks creating a housing dead-end for Ukrainian families as they’ll be ineligible for social housing and locked out of supports like Hap [Housing Assistance Payment], while simultaneously Accommodation Recognition Payments made to those currently hosting Ukrainians are already being cut.”

He questioned the rationale for reducing the “already very limited accommodation options available to that community, and instead making the private rented sector, which is already under enormous pressure, the only option in the medium to long term for those who have fled war to seek refuge here”.

The department said that amendments included in legislation approved at Cabinet were a “provision to put beyond doubt that applicants for social housing support who are in the State under Temporary Protection shall not be regarded as being habitually resident in the State for the duration of the Temporary Protection.

“The new provisions contained in this Bill are effectively already operating at a local authority level in accordance with existing circulars and operational arrangements at local authority level.

“However, the Attorney General has advised of the need to strengthen the regulatory framework in this area. Therefore, we are putting the existing policy arrangements and Circulars on a more robust legislative footing.”

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Jack Horgan-Jones

Jack Horgan-Jones

Jack Horgan-Jones is a Political Correspondent with The Irish Times