Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2026
781. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on the future of the accommodation recognition payment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4468/26]
View answerThe Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) was introduced to recognise the generosity of people who have opened their homes to provide accommodation to temporary protection beneficiaries from Ukraine. The scheme is provided for in Part 2 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 and is administered by the Department of Social Protection on my behalf.
The scheme has been successful in accommodating some 63,000 temporary protection beneficiaries outside of State-contracted accommodation since it commenced in 2022. Some 42,000 people are currently living in over 23,000 hosted accommodations with the support of the scheme.
The ARP scheme is currently in place until 31 March 2026 but may be extended by Ministerial order in accordance with the governing legislation. It is my intention to seek Oireachtas approval to extend the scheme for a further year to 31 March 2027 to align with the timeframe for the Temporary Protection Directive and to allow for an orderly wind-down of the scheme in advance of the end of the application of that EU Directive to the war in Ukraine.
Section 4(2) of the Act of 2022 enables me to make such a change, following consultation with the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. I can confirm that I have commenced those consultations.
The Act of 2022 also requires, where such an order is proposed to be made, that a draft of the order be laid before each House of the Oireachtas and that the order shall not be made until a resolution approving the draft has been passed by each House of the Oireachtas. I intend to complete the required statutory processes before the current scheme termination date of 31 March.
