‘Not fair’ for Ukrainians to remain in rent-free accommodation, Tánaiste says

By Cillian Sherlock, Press Association

Ukrainians living in rent-free State accommodation is “not fair”, “too expensive” and “damaging social cohesion”, the Tánaiste has said.

Simon Harris said he “would challenge anybody” to say “hand on heart that they think it’s fair that somebody can live rent-free, effectively, forever more” in State accommodation.

It comes as the Government is to start withdrawing State-supplied accommodation on a phased basis for about 16,000 Ukrainians who arrived in Ireland before March 2024.

The move comes after the Government cut the length of time newly-arriving Ukrainian refugees can stay in State accommodation from 90 days to 30.

It has to end, it's not fair

The Minister for Finance said he was “proud” of the Government’s response to the Ukraine war but added that there was a need to “learn from every crisis”.

On Wednesday, he said: “The amount of money that was spent on this is very large.

“I still think, on balance, it is the right thing to do, is the decent thing to do, but it’s not sustainable.

“It has to end, it’s not fair. We can’t have a situation where some people in our country live rent-free while having a right to work, and other people don’t.”

Harris said the Government had been working on the proposal “for quite a sustained period of time”, adding: “It is about fairness.

“I mean, people from Ukraine are very welcome to this country. People from Ukraine are making a really positive contribution this country – let me just say that.”

He added: “We’re proud to stand with Ukraine and people from Ukraine are very welcome. We do also, though, have to kind of regularise things here.

“We can’t continue to spend billions of euro on accommodation. We can’t continue to have a situation – and I say this really respectfully – where people who are working in our country aren’t paying any rent.”

Harris said there was a “social cohesion point” to his position, as he pointed out “another anomaly” to Newstalk radio: “Since March 24th, I think any Ukrainian who arrives in Ireland gets 30 days’ accommodation and then again, not being flippant, has a right to work and goes on their way.

“Only around 22 per cent of people who are even coming in are taking up that offer.”

The Fine Gael leader added: “So you now have some Ukrainians who are having to kind of go off into the rental market themselves, and you’ve other Ukrainians that since 2024, and before, are living in rent-free state accommodation.

“That’s not fair. It’s too expensive, and it’s damaging to social cohesion.”

Harris said there would be a need to “protect any vulnerable people that may be there” and implement changes in a “transitionary way”.

Asked if the offering for Ukrainians would change if the EU Temporary Protection Directive is extended, the Finance Minister said: “Our intention is for it to remain the same.”

He said there was a need talk about how Ireland regularises people from Ukraine who may wish to stay in the country after temporary protection ends.