An Independent TD has said that some Ukrainians living in Ireland under temporary protection are “holidaying in Mediterranean countries”, running businesses in Ukraine from Ireland, have flown back to their native country to “collect their vehicles”, and are here “opportunistically”.
Sligo TD, Marc MacSharry, said he wanted to highlight the “two-tier system” being run by the government, which he said was discriminatory and had “added pressures to a situation over the past year and a half” where the country was “struggling to provide accommodation for those very genuine cases seeking international protection from persecution elsewhere”.
Speaking in a debate on International Protection in the Dáil yesterday, Deputy MacSharry said: “As the Minister of State will be aware, those poor people who are fleeing war and persecution from countries such as Syria, Somalia, Nigeria and elsewhere are being afforded accommodation, food and €38 per week, whereas those fleeing war in Ukraine under the temporary protection directive, although it is not prescribed in the detail of that directive, are in receipt of maximum social welfare rates of €232 per week.”
The Sligo TD has consistently called for the same supports to be provided to all applicants seeking protection – and also recently highlighted the situation that third-level students from Ukraine can go to university for free in Ireland, and avail of free accommodation without means testing, while this is not available to Irish students.
He said that Ireland had been “de facto” marketed as a country that paid higher rates to those seeking protection under the temporary directive.
“Sadly, and it gives me no pleasure to again say it, it was inevitable that this would amount to the de facto marketing of Ireland to people who wish to travel from Ukraine, whether they are directly affected by war or not,” he said.
“There is now quite a bit evidence to show that a significant proportion may be in receipt of income from their own businesses or other employment in Ukraine where they are in a position to work remotely from here. This is discriminatory. It is a two-tier system,” he said.
“If somebody comes here from Ukraine, even if he or she is from Lviv, 1,200 km from where the war is, once things are settled here, that person flies home to collect his or her vehicle and then comes back. As I said, there is evidence to suggest that a significant proportion of these applications are opportunistic. We are prepared to pay, therefore, they are prepared to come,” he claimed.
“No activation measures are in place in respect of people who are on jobseeker’s allowance. No signing-on arrangements are in place as there would be for people on jobseeker’s allowance. This is building huge resentment. Not too many international protection applicants are flying back to Damascus, Mogadishu or elsewhere to bring in their cars or other possessions,” the Sligo TD said.
“I know this is unpalatable. It gives me no pleasure to say it, but until we deal decisively with this matter, it will continue to contribute to the building resentment that none of us wants to see.”
“As a first step, €38 should be paid across the board. That is what must happen when legislation is brought forward to stop any newcomers from receiving any more than €38. Some 100,000 Ukrainians are here, and we are delighted to have the 17,000 who are out there working and those who genuinely need our help but, unfortunately, there are a proportion of opportunists we must deal with,” he said.
Responding, Niall Collins, Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science said that 76,000 Ukrainians currently lived in State accommodation with 58,000 of those in fully serviced accommodation.
He said that the difference in the supports between those who arrived in Ireland under the temporary protection directive compared with applicants for international protection lay in the different legislative frameworks that apply to these cohorts.
However, Deputy MacSharry said the Cabinet were responsible for the different legislative frameworks.
“There is no need for it. It is causing untold damage to public perception on this matter and it needs to be addressed so that when the legislation comes up in a couple of weeks to reduce the amount to €38 per week for all people coming to this State, we also must take action regarding those who are already here because a significant proportion of them are here opportunistically,” he said.
“They are holidaying in Mediterranean countries. They have flown back to collect their vehicles. Some of them are running businesses,” he claimed.
He said that the relevant Ministers, “namely, the Minister for public expenditure, the Minister for Social Protection, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste” should ensure that “we do not continue in this reckless two-tiered fashion, which is absolutely discriminatory and also discriminatory against those already living and working here”.
“Some of whom may have found themselves unemployed will be subject to means tests and all the rest of it to see whether they are entitled to get the various supports that they are getting. Unfortunately, the opportunists I speak of are not subject to such scrutiny at all,” he said.
“I ask that the takeaway from me this morning is that he will raise this with a view to the Government taking the appropriate action in the legislation so that we level the playing field for all”.
Deputy Collins said he would make an Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the relevant Ministers aware of the Deputy’s input, and that changes were made in December last year that will come into effect in March of this year in terms of beneficiaries of temporary protection.