Ukraine war putting 'very significant' strain on funding of international protection system

More people have applied for international protection in Ireland in the first five months of this year than had been projected for the whole of 2022. Those applicants do not include the more than 31,000 refugees who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine since Russia’s attack on that country began in late February. Photo: AP/Markus Schreiber

Ireland’s international protection system is coming under “very significant funding pressure” as a result of the war in Ukraine, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

Kevin McCarthy, the head of the Department of Children which has responsibility for Ireland’s direct provision system, said that notwithstanding the conflict in eastern Europe, applications for international protection in Ireland “have been growing hugely” in recent months.