Press release
Meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Ukraine - 24 October 2022
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
The Cabinet Committee on Ukraine met today to discuss the pressure on accommodation and services being provided to those fleeing the war in Ukraine.
The numbers of people seeking Temporary Protection in Ireland, as a consequence of the horrific war in Ukraine, is unprecedented in the history of the State.
Ireland has never seen so many people arrive in such a short timeframe and tens of thousands are receiving assistance. More than 54,000 have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine seeking protection as a consequence of the war. This equates to almost 1.2% of our population, comparing very favourably with other European countries and demonstrating our solidarity with the Ukraine and the rest of Europe in dealing with the crisis.
The State is now accommodating over 58,000 people (42,000 Ukrainian, 16,000 International Protection). This figure compares with 7,250 at this time last year.
This has given rise to a collective response which has been exceptional both nationally and locally with communities and individuals working to meet planning, logistical and operational challenges associated with the volume and speed of arrivals.
Given the extraordinary increase in numbers over the past fortnight in particular the situation is particularly acute regarding the provision of accommodation for those seeking protection.
The Cabinet Committee today considered proposals on policy and service provision issues which have been in preparation based on data and modelling.
The government is very conscious of its international obligations to those seeking protection in the short, medium and longer term. Nevertheless, the government is clear that in the face of further arrivals there are significant capacity challenges ahead. It is clear that while remaining committed to our international obligations and solidarity with those fleeing war, we must be open about the current challenges with those who may be planning to travel to Ireland over the coming months.
In this context, the Cabinet Committee agreed that a number of measures were required in order to:
Decisions on the detail of these measures will be considered and agreed by Government in the coming days.