Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)

I also do not support the change to this scheme or the amendment proposed. Let us put this in context. Some 91% of the people who are participating in hosting refugees under this scheme have never been landlords before. It is not true that this scheme will interfere or has interfered with the housing market because nine out of ten of hosts never would have been landlords. I do not understand why this argument is being made consistently other than to potentially lean in to some of the anti-refugee or racist sentiment that is building up in society.

The second issue is that two thirds of those surveyed might also be open to hosting other refugees. Given that we know this scheme is costing the State a lot less than housing refugees in State accommodation would, it is important to note that it is being cut off as an option. Also, we know there will be opposition. If all of these people are turfed out of their accommodation, there will be opposition to building large-scale facilities as we have seen in every single town and county. It is irresponsible to cut the scheme and then propose it be ditched altogether.

Most people have had a positive experience. The scheme is far from perfect; I am not saying it is perfect. There is a lack of oversight and there are issues such as people being asked for top-up payments, which obviously happens in the private sector as well. According to the Irish Red Cross, people have been participating out of a sense of benevolence and wanting to help people who are fleeing war. The scheme could be extended to other groups in the future, rather than the State having to seek accommodation for them. By the way, it is surely better for integrating people into society to have them living in a community or on a street alongside other people rather than stuck in one building with maybe hundreds of other people. It is much better as a form of integration.

In one of the scenarios, the Minister of State found that even if 10% of people were to stop using the scheme because of this reduction, it would cost €7 million more to house the people affected in private accommodation than the State would have had to pay otherwise. I see this as being a part of a general trend of cruelty and hostility towards people seeking international protection and migrants in general. It adds to the message that goes out of "Don't come here", and it sends a message to Ukrainians to go back to their country. It is a mistake for Sinn Féin to lean into this racist sentiment in society. It will not win Sinn Féin any votes. All it does is give grounds and arguments to the far right. It will not work.

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