New accommodation charges for asylum seekers will not be imposed on thousands of people living in direct provision.
The fees, which mean some working asylum seekers will be charged almost 40 per cent of their weekly income, were approved by the Government on Wednesday as part of an overhaul of immigration policy.
New barriers to citizenship will be put in place for those who do not pay the charges or who have claimed certain welfare payments, while the rules on bringing relatives into the country will also be reformed as the Coalition seeks to tighten up the immigration system.
However, the new accommodation charges will not apply to people who have been granted refugee status but remain in State accommodation.
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In July, there were 5,300 people housed by the International Protection Accommodation Service (Ipas) who had received permission to live and work in Ireland, which also means they are no longer entitled to State accommodation. Charities maintain they are unable to secure private accommodation and are left with no option but to remain in situ. There are more than 30,000 people living in Ipas centres.
While Government sources said new legislation could yet be introduced extending the charging regime to these people, Ministers were told on Wednesday that there are significant difficulties in forcing these people to pay a contribution under the scheme as approved.
It is believed that there is a nervousness in Government about charging this cohort as it could be construed as a legal relationship with the State effectively being their landlord.
As such, Ministers were told that, for now, the new model will apply to people currently seeking protection, and the policy for those with status remains unchanged. A Government source said there will now be a renewed focus on continuing to move these people out of State accommodation.
The Government has made repeated efforts to encourage this cohort to move on. It is understood that 4,000 people have left this year but about 5,000 remain.
An Ipas team working in collaboration with charities and the Department of Housing offers them supports.
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Under new measures approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday, those seeking international protection will also have to show they have sufficient resources to support relatives coming under family reunification protocols.
People in receipt of certain social welfare payments within three years of getting protection status will not be eligible to apply for reunification.
Residency requirements for those granted international protection will rise from three to five years before they can apply for citizenship, with extra conditions around self-sufficiency and not being in receipt of certain social protection payments within the two years before making a citizenship application.
Meanwhile, Ukrainians who fled the war in their country will not be able to count that time spent in the country towards an application for citizenship. There will be additional powers to revoke refugee status for someone convicted of a serious crime.
People on work permits will have to demonstrate financial capacity and accommodation to provide for family members coming to Ireland.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said on Wednesday that Ireland’s rate of population growth was too high and the new restrictions were intended to reduce it.
He said while population growth was good, and the Government wanted to see it continue, Ireland’s rate at 1.6 per cent last year was seven times the EU average and was putting pressure on services and State capacity.
Irish Refugee Council chief executive Nick Henderson said the changes were “deeply alarming” and “severely undercut” refugee integration.
Brian Killoran, national co-ordinator of the Ukraine Civil Society Forum, criticised the changes relating to Ukrainians’ citizenship pathway, saying the Government’s “slash and burn” approach damaged integration with the “apparent aim of deterring new people arriving”.
The Migrant Rights Council of Ireland said it was an attack on migrant worker rights and family values and would make it harder for people to bring family members in.
- This article was amended on 27/11/25 to correct an error. A previous version stated residency requirements for those granted international protection will rise from three to seven years before they can apply for citizenship; in fact, requirements will rise from three to five years.
