Ukraine war refugees should receive State’s housing assistance payment, report recommends
The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) has recommended opening the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme to support Ukrainians in Ireland given the challenges with the rental market.
Its report assessed the private hosting experiences of Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection in Ireland and across Europe.
It recommended opening HAP supports to Ukrainians to “take a lot of pressure off Government designated accommodation centres, which would alleviate tensions in some communities”.
Over 17 per cent (18,853) of Ukrainian refugees have been accommodated in pledged properties in private homes in Ireland since April 2022, with the Irish Red Cross saying this was down to “the generosity of the Irish public” and the Government’s €800 payment.
The research by the IFRC said Ireland’s response to the Ukraine crisis, despite its early implementation delays, was “a model for leveraging private hosting for diverse populations in need of temporary accommodation in Europe”.
But there were “limited progression pathways” for displaced Ukrainians after pledged accommodation ran out, with “insufficient long-term accommodation options”.
The temporary protection directive, entitling Ukrainians to accommodation and other supports in Europe, has to be renewed by the EU on a yearly basis, with a maximum of three years.
This may be “hampering long-term Government planning”, the research said, and pledged accommodation offered only “temporary respite”.
While the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) of €800 attracted hosts and extended contracts, it “also had shortcomings”, the research said.
“The ARP’s non-varying rate does not consider household size or geographic location. It should also be considered for migrants and refugees outside of the Ukrainian cohort,” it said.
Researchers recommended “national investment in innovative housing solutions to ensure viable exit strategies from hosted arrangements” in the report.
The report also called for revising policies like Housing for All to address the housing needs of migrant communities.
The research showed need for “a focus on institutional preparedness for future migration trends and unexpected crises”, Irish Red Cross secretary general Deirdre Garvey said.
“Researchers support the view that is it only by tying accommodation provision to a holistic approach to integration will the true potential of migrants in Ireland be fully realised. With an ageing population we will need migrants to help fuel and boost our economy in the future years,” she said.
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