Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. On 4 March 2022, the Council of the European Union unanimously adopted the implementing decision regarding the temporary protection directive, due to the mass influx of persons fleeing Ukraine as a consequence of the war. This means that people arriving from Ukraine have been granted the status to avail of income supports from my Department. We have an excellent record in reacting quickly and appropriately to emergency situations.

Officials from my Department and the Department of Justice are in Dublin Airport to meet with people arriving from Ukraine to ensure that temporary residence certificates and personal public service, PPS, numbers are allocated quickly and that financial supports are provided. These supports include supplementary welfare allowance, child benefit and exceptional needs payments.

Although about 90% of people arriving from Ukraine transit Dublin Airport, people also arrive at other locations. Therefore the Department has also established a number of additional dedicated centres in Dublin and Cork cities and will open a further centre in Limerick tomorrow. Community welfare officers and interpreters are available at all of these centres. Department staff are also meeting people arriving on the ferry at Rosslare port and are reaching out to visit people accommodated in hotels provided by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. People fleeing the war in Ukraine can also look for support at any of the Department's Intreo centres nationwide and a number of these centres are operating extended hours including Saturday opening. Information and guidance on how people can access supports is available on the Department's website in English, Ukrainian and Russian languages.

In engaging with people arriving from Ukraine, the Department's initial priority is the allocation of PPS numbers and the provision of immediate financial supports. A fast-track approach in processing these supports includes a simplified decision-making process and quick processing of PPS numbers to allow access to public services. People are eligible for financial support initially under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme but arrangements will be made over time to transfer the person to the appropriate primary social welfare payment. As part of our initial engagement we are arranging for payments such as child benefit to be made within a very short period.

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