€400 per month payment for those housing Ukrainian refugees could be ready next week

“We hope to have something to bring to government very shortly", said Heather Humphreys.

The €400 payment for households taking in Ukrainian refugees could be ready to be paid as early as next week, the Irish Examiner understands.

High-level Government talks are at an advantaged stage to pay people who take in Ukrainian refugees and it is understood that the €400 per month payment will be per household irrespective of how many Ukrainian people have been taken into the home.

Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said on Wednesday that talks are continuing.

“This is something that government is considering and myself and Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman and Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath, our officials are working up some options there,” she said.

“We hope to have something to bring to government very shortly, we now have a Cabinet sub-committee set up specifically to deal with the Ukrainian crisis and we’ll be feeding everything in through that.

“I think it’ll be very soon.” 

Officials from the Department of Social and Protection, Department of Children, and Department of Public Expenditure have been engaged in ongoing discussions about whether it would be a taxed payment, how many people could potentially be eligible and other fiscal concerns.

“There are a number of issues where we need [to be] clear on before we need to announce it,” Ms Humphrey added.

“To be honest, we’re trying to keep it simple, that’s the best way to administer any assistance.” 

The initiative would also have to undergo a fiscal assessment before it goes to Cabinet.

The Examiner reported last week that more than 1,000 people have withdrawn their initial offer of accommodation for Ukrainian refugees.