Ministers raise concerns over plan to offer Ukrainians accommodation for just three months

Speaking to reporters, Micheál Martin said he believed there is currently a “phenomenon” of secondary arrivals of Ukrainian refugees into Ireland from other EU countries.  Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Ministers have raised concerns over the Government’s plan to offer newly-arrived Ukrainians in Ireland just three months' accommodation before they have to find their own place to live.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has also said he believed there is currently a “phenomenon” of secondary arrivals of Ukrainian refugees into Ireland from other EU countries.

It is understood there were “differing views” at Cabinet on Tuesday where there was a wide-ranging discussion on the proposal.

However, it is not expected there will be a change to the three-month offering.

The Irish Examiner revealed officials have been working on a plan to introduce a time-limit on the length of time that Ukrainians are offered accommodation by the State once they arrive here in Ireland.

It is understood Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan could not come to an agreement on the plan at a meeting on Monday night and had requested more detail from officials on how the plan would be implemented for new arrivals.

Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman did not bring a memo to Cabinet on Tuesday and instead it just formed part of discussions among ministers.

It is understood a memo with a more detailed plan will go to Cabinet as soon as next week for sign-off.

Concerns were raised over what alternative accommodation would be available to Ukrainians once their three-month stint in State accommodation came to an end as well as how Ukrainians who have arrived in Ireland having spent time in another EU country would be treated.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Martin said that he believed that there is currently a “phenomenon” of secondary arrivals of Ukrainian refugees into Ireland from other EU countries.

“There is some evidence that perhaps there are some secondary transfers now from across Europe, as opposed to directly from Ukraine and that’s the issue that’s being examined now in terms of any new arrivals into the future,” Mr Martin said.

He said that the issue of secondary transfers is being discussed by Government at present, but when asked if these transfers could be treated differently to those who arrive directly from Ukraine, Mr Martin would not be drawn on the matter.

“There’s a broad range of issues being looked at in respect, but I’m not going to go into any further detail right now until the Government has completed its deliberation,” Mr Martin said.

He said that he is unable to quantify the number of secondary Ukrainian transfers into Ireland.