Use of private properties to house Ukrainian refugees up by 17% this year 

Families alighting from a train in Przemysl, Poland in March 2022 having fled the Russian invasion. Concerns have been raised in Ireland about a housing scheme specifically for refugees from Ukraine. File picture:

Concern has been voiced about the impact of a Government scheme for housing refugees from Ukraine on the private rental sector as new figures show the number of private properties being used has increased by 17% since the start of the year.

A record number of over 21,800 dwellings are currently being used to accommodate Ukrainian refugees under the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) scheme, according to the latest figures from the Department of Justice.