Exodus as 25,000 Ukrainians leave Ireland after crackdown on payments and free housing as numbers to fall further | The Irish Sun

MOVING ON

Some 41,000 who originally arrived are classed by the Government as 'category unknown'

• Published : 17:46, 24 May 2024
• Updated : 17:46, 24 May 2024

THE number of Ukrainians living in Ireland has dropped by around 25,000, the latest Government data shows.

Ministers have been told they have either returned home, despite the war with Russia, or moved on to other countries.

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Just under 107,000 Ukrainians came here and claimed temporary protection when Vladamir Putin’s army invaded in 2022.

But, as of May 19, 45,000 are in state-serviced accommodation, such as hotels and B&Bs.

This number has fallen from 60,000 only last September.

Around 8,000 Ukrainian people currently live in homes pledged and provided by the public. Their rooms are paid for by the State.

Since March, new arrivals from Ukraine have to stay in designated accommodation centres and there are currently 6,000 there.

This means 65,500 are accounted for in state-provided or pledged accommodation.

The remaining 41,000 who originally arrived are classed by the Government as “category unknown”.

These have either returned home, gone to another country or are staying in privately sourced accommodation.

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Previous Central Statistics Office data from late last year estimated that only 78 per cent of PPS numbers which were given to Ukrainian refugees were active, a clear indication that many had left Ireland.

A Government insider said: “Essentially the numbers of Ukrainians arriving are well down and all the data shows at least 25,000 appear to have moved on since 2022.”

Ministers expect the numbers to continue falling after the recent crackdown on Government payments and free accommodation for refugees.

Justice Minister Helen Ms McEntee said the reduction in payments was “to bring everybody in line to make sure those who are here, those who have access to work, those who are available to provide for themselves, that they can provide for themselves.

She added: “That’s why these payments are changing.”

WHO WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE PAY CUT?

THE new payment cut will target those who remained on the higher rates after the new reduced rate was introduced for new refugees to Ireland.

The payment cut will apply to Ukrainian refugees who are living in State-provided serviced accommodation such as hotels where meals are provided for them.

The cut will not apply to those living in a state facility that is not serviced and meals are not provided.

It will also not apply to those who living in what the Government deem as "pledged accommodation."

This means despite not being in a state facility, their housing is leased to the state.

Around 27,000 Ukrainian refugees will receive reduced payments.

Upon arriving in Ireland Ukrainians can apply for Temporary Protection in the Citywest Convention Centre in Dublin or Rosslare Port.

The directive was started in response to the war in Ukraine and has been extended until March 2025.

But payments will be cut from the jobseekers rate of €232 to a lower amount over the next three months.

Ukrainians who arrived in Ireland from March 2024 were already receiving a reduced rate of €38.80 per week for an adult and €29.80 for a child.

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