In Ireland, the number of Ukrainian refugees living in state-provided housing has significantly decreased
In Ireland, there is a significant decrease in the number of Ukrainian refugees living in housing provided by the state. Over the past year, approximately 17,500 Ukrainians have left such facilities, forcing the government to close dozens of refugee centers, The Irish Times reports.
According to the Irish government, as of mid-August 2024, there were 40,058 Ukrainians with temporary protection status in state housing. This is 30% less than in August 2023, when 57,502 people lived in such premises.
In May 2024, the Irish Department of Integration announced a change to housing policy, setting a maximum stay of 90 days. In this connection, 189 contracts for providing housing to Ukrainians were terminated: 175 contracts were terminated by the government, and 14 by the housing providers themselves. In addition, about 100 more contracts are in the process of termination.
As of August 2024, there are 855 establishments in Ireland that continue to accommodate Ukrainians under state contracts. This is 138 fewer institutions than in August 2023, when there were 993. Some places after the departure of Ukrainians are used to accommodate applicants for international protection.
The Department of Integration reports that about 12 hotels that previously accepted only Ukrainian refugees have become “hybrid facilities” where both Ukrainians and refugees from other countries now live. One of the centers, previously used to house Ukrainians, now serves exclusively for asylum seekers.
Many Ukrainian refugees in Ireland found shelter in the homes of local residents. About 28,800 Ukrainians live with more than 15,100 Irish families who receive a monthly payment of 800 euros from the state for hosting refugees. Since the launch of this support scheme in July 2022, the Irish Government has paid out a total of €165 million.
In general, there are 107,279 Ukrainian refugees in Ireland today. Recently, there has been a decrease in the flow of new arrivals: in July 2024, an average of 33 Ukrainians per day arrived in the country, which is significantly less compared to July 2023, when the daily number of new arrivals reached 113 people.
