Payments to Ukrainians may be reduced from €220 to €38.80 per week

Government leaders will also look at limiting State accommodation for those fleeing the war to 90 days

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has already suggested that Ireland must 'slow the flow' of refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere as the Government struggles to provide accommodation.

The three Government leaders are to discuss a dramatic cut in payments and accommodation to Ukrainians who seek refuge here under a raft of changes.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has already suggested that Ireland must 'slow the flow' of refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere as the Government struggles to provide accommodation.

A subcabinet committee will meet on Monday to discuss reducing the €220 weekly payment received by those who flee Ukraine to just €38.80 per week.

It is expected that a plan limiting State accommodation offered to those fleeing war in Ukraine to 90 days will also be discussed.

This proposal caused tension at Cabinet when it was put forward by Equality and Integration Minister Roderic O'Gorman in late October.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin is understood to have accused Mr O'Gorman of trying to push the problem onto Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien.

After the heated Cabinet debate, a number of ministers including Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys, Justice Minister Helen McEntee, and Education Minister Norma Foley were asked to draw up proposals around the future supports that might be granted to Ukrainians.

Discussions on these proposals have been delayed for a number of weeks.

It is expected that a reduction in financial supports in line with the amount provided to asylum seekers in direct provision, will be proposed.

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After a discussion at sub-cabinet committee level, the proposals will be brought to a meeting of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan on Monday night.

The package of reduced supports could be signed off on by Cabinet on Tuesday morning if leaders reach agreement.

Any changes would only impact new arrivals and not those who have already sought refuge here. 

The amendments would also require legislative change and so would not be expected to come into force until the new year.

The European Commission recently published statistics showing that the rate of increase of Ukrainians arriving in Ireland over the past year was 10 times higher than the average increase in numbers fleeing to the EU from the war in Ukraine over the same period.

There has been a 72.1% increase in the number of Ukrainians seeking international protection in the Republic in the 12 months to the end of September 2023.

Over the same timeframe, the number of Ukrainian citizens seeking refuge across the EU rose by just 7.2%.

It is the second-highest rate of increase among the 27 EU members over the past year after Romania where the number of refugees from Ukraine has effectively doubled to around 140,000.

Mr Varadkar has already said that supports should be brought in line with other countries.

"When it comes to irregular migration, that's people coming from Ukraine or people seeking international protection, I think one of the things we have to do when we have to be honest with each other about this, is to make sure that what we offer — in terms of accommodation, in terms of work, in terms of money — is similar to what's offered in other EU countries," he said last month.