Garret Kelleher (Fine Gael)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire as ucht teacht chun an tSeanaid arís chun an t-ábhar seo a phlé. Is dócha go bhfuil sé mínithe go soiléir ag an Aire agus ag Seanadóir Ó Gallchobhair díreach cad atá i gceist againn anseo inniu.

As the Minister outlined in his opening remarks, following the illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ireland has been very strong and generous in the response to the invasion. We have seen more than 117,000 Ukrainians come to Ireland. Of those 117,000, almost half of them - slightly over 54,000 - have received accommodation from those who have benefited from the scheme. It was the correct and appropriate action to take. It is a scheme that has been very successful. It has served us well to recognise the enormous contribution made by host families. As the Minister outlined, there are now concerns about the unintended potential impact of the accommodation recognition payment scheme on the rental market. This is something we are looking to address today. On the whole, the Fine Gael group in the Seanad is happy to support the resolution approving the order in the House today. It is something we would be very much in favour of.