Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail)
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Senators Seán Kyne and Barry Ward are sharing time. I call Senator Kyne.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I thank the office of the Cathaoirleach for choosing this very important matter for debate. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan.

We see before our eyes the tragedy unfolding across Ukraine, where, a fortnight ago, people were living their lives, perhaps in trepidation and fear, but as normally as possible in their own country. Now, we see people leaving in their thousands and becoming refugees across Europe, including here in Ireland. Some 2,200 Ukrainians have arrived since the visa requirement was lifted on 25 February, many of them to come to live with family who are already in Ireland. It is important that the Irish State welcomes them, supports them and keeps them safe for as long as they need to be here. It is fair to say that many of them would wish to go home to their own country eventually and, hopefully, that can be soon, if it is safe to do so and if the war ends in a timely fashion.

Tá spiorad agus flaithiúlacht mhuintir na hÉireann le feiceáil agus iad ag cur cúnaimh agus maoinithe ar fáil chun cabhrú leis an gCros Dhearg agus le gníomhaireachtaí eile san Úcráin. Is iontach an rud é tairiscintí agus spéis na ndaoine ar fud na tíre lóistín a chur ar fáil ina dtithe féin ach ní haon ionadh é. Tréaslaím leis an gceannaireacht ón Rialtas agus ón Aontas Eorpach ar an tragóid seo san Úcráin.Tá daoine a bhí ina gcónaí ina dtír féin coicís ó shin anois ina dteifigh trasna na hEorpa. Is é an rud is mó a theastaítear anois ná sábháilteacht do na daoine seo, go háirithe mná agus páistí agus na fir fágtha ag troid ar son na hÚcráine.

The Government is working hard to ensure that people get personal public service, PPS, numbers, rights to work and so on. It is important that we see the generosity of spirit of Irish people in pledging their support for families.

Barry Ward (Fine Gael)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach agus cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Tá an bród orm as an méid atá á dhéanamh ag Rialtas na hÉireann faoi láthair. Is uafásach na heachtraí atá ar siúl san Úcráin. Táimid bródúil as an méid atá á dhéanamh ag an bpobal, ag muintir na hÉireann, ar son muintir na hÚcráine. Sular tháinig mé anseo, bhí mé ag caint le hambasadóir na hÚcráine, a bhí anseo i dTeach Laighean. Bhíomar ag iarraidh rud a dhéanamh le Cros Dhearg na hÉireann chun cabhrú. Bhí sí ag labhairt linn faoi na heachtraí atá ar siúl faoi láthair. Mar a dúirt mé, táim bródúil as an méid atá a dhéanamh againn.

As much as we can do, it is very important. All of us support what the Government is doing. These strong measures will hopefully yield strong results. It will not solve the problem but it will help the people who come to Ireland. The aid that is coming through here will also help the people in Ukraine. Earlier, the Irish Red Cross told us that it anticipates raising €20 million for Ukraine. It is an extraordinary amount. It is an extraordinary crisis.

I hope the Minister of State can allay our fears that we can cope with the people who are coming here and that, as Senator Kyne said, we will put in place all the things needed to support those people to ensure that they can come here and for the time that they are here, continue their lives in as normal a way as possible however awful and difficult it might be for them. I hope we will put at their disposal the facilities of the State the same as they would be available to any European Union citizen.

I welcome the announcements already made in relation to PPS numbers, health provision and education provision. Can the Minister of State give us any greater detail on what will be available to them?

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach agus leis na Seanadóirí.

Like Senator Ward, I share that pride that we have in the response of the Irish people and the Government. It has been really touching. We attended an event this morning with the Ukrainian ambassador and ambassadors of other countries and it was chilling to hear the testimonies coming out of Ukraine at present. It is an unjustifiable war; an attack on a sovereign state. Our thoughts and prayers are with those fleeing the war and those who are caught up in it because, as the former Minister, Mr. Pat Carey, said this morning, it looks like it could be a protracted war. We will have to continue these supports.

In Ireland, we are responding. I spoke to the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Deputy James Browne, about driving licences and this morning, Deputy Ó Cathasaigh raised the issue of education in terms of integrating into the education system. There is a whole-of-government response happening. We are having to think on our feet. We are having to act quickly and adapt. We can take great collective pride in the fact that we are responding rapidly to what is a fast-moving and truly tragic situation.

On 4 March 2022, the European Council adopted unanimously the implementing decision regarding the temporary protection directive due to the mass influx of persons fleeing Ukraine as a consequence of this war. This will allow Ukrainian citizens and others fleeing Ukraine to avail of supports throughout the EU. I want to emphasise to the House that people arriving from Ukraine have been granted the status to avail of income supports from the Department of Social Protection under the EU temporary protection directive.

The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, and her officials have an excellent record in reacting quickly and appropriately to emergency situations and this was clear from the way they responded to provide emergency income throughout the pandemic.

The immediate priority for the Department of Social Protection will be the allocation of personal public service numbers, PPSNs, and the provision of immediate financial supports. A fast-track approach in processing these supports will include a simplified decision-making process and quick processing of PPSNs to allow access to public services that will be provided to people arriving here.

People will be eligible for financial support initially under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. Under the temporary protection directive, Ukrainian citizens and others fleeing the war will satisfy the habitual residence condition, HRC, and the relevant associated means test.

The aim of the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and that of her Department is to ensure that applications for supplementary welfare are processed as quickly and efficiently as possible to provide immediate financial assistance to these people. The Department of Social Protection will also arrange for payments such as child benefit to be made within a very short period.

The Department of Social Protection is working closely with the Department of Justice, which is responsible for providing such people with letters or certificates confirming that they are covered by the EU directive. From today, officials from both Departments will be based in Dublin Airport to meet people arriving from Ukraine and they will ensure that temporary protection permission letters and PPSNs are allocated, and the appropriate financial supports are provided. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth will lead on the provision of accommodation for those arriving in Ireland. All Departments will keep this position under regular review, in particular, to provide for people entering through other airports or ports. As the Senators will be aware, the Department of Social Protection has a network of Intreo offices around the country and they will be used to help people from Ukraine during their stay in this country. It could be a short period. It could be a much longer period. We do not know this yet.

For those people who have already arrived in Ireland, they will be invited into Intreo offices so that they can be provided with a PPSN number and the appropriate financial supports. The Department is putting arrangements in place to provide information in the English, Ukrainian and Russian languages.

I know that the people of Ireland will support these people as they settle into our country, the generosity has already been quite overwhelming, and that they can help to rebuild their lives in our country. It is something that we are good at. It is something we do well constantly in time of crisis. We proved this during the Covid pandemic. Certainly, the Irish people will not be found wanting on this occasion as well.

Seán Kyne (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for the comprehensive response. It is quite clear that the Government is doing all it can. It is acting proactively and quickly.

Of course, we are dealing with vulnerable people who have been through a trauma, who are leaving family and loved ones behind and who have seen their lives destroyed. They are particularly vulnerable to individuals who may not have their best interests at heart. That was evident in previous situations in this country in the past when people arrived here during the 2000s. It is important that there is a port of call - a first stop-off for people at the airports - in order that they can get that assistance and be told what is available for them and the supports that are put in place, and they have somewhere to go such as the Intreo offices.

The generosity of spirit of the Irish people is coming to the fore in terms of providing assistance. I am confident that will continue over the coming months and, if needs be, depending on how long this tragedy and this awful war lasts, years.

Barry Ward (Fine Gael)
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Ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil an-mhuinín agam de bharr an mhéid atá ráite ag an Aire Stáit.

The description of a whole-of-government response is tremendously important. I welcome commitments the Minister of State made to having people in the airports available to meet people as they come off planes because, as has been said already, they will be in a distraught condition in no uncertain terms.

I hope that we can extend that famous céad míle fáilte to them in every respect and accommodate them in every way that we can as they come here. It is the least that we can do. It is the least that we would expect to be done for us if the shoe were on the other foot. I welcome the moves and I look forward to delivery of those commitments from the Government.

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I, again, thank both Senators for raising this. It is important we continue to respond, as I said, as this evolves.

We are in a wartime scenario. As a State, we are putting in place measures to ensure that people of Ukraine who are seeking refuge here will receive all the support they require. They will need psychological and other supports as well and this is something we have to respond to.

I acknowledge the important role that is being played by the NGO sector in responding to this humanitarian crisis. They will play a significant role in the coming months to provide supports across a range of areas for those needing assistance. The Irish Red Cross has stepped in to play a key role. I am deeply grateful to it, as we saw this morning with Mr. Pat Carey, as well as the fantastic response of the Irish League of Credit Unions.

The Department of Social Protection will work with the NGOs in assisting Ukrainians who are arriving here to ensure that those who require assistance from the Department will get it. The Department is already working with some of the NGOs, such as Crosscare, and will continue to do so in the weeks and months ahead.

I thank both Senators for raising this. I am overwhelmed by what has happened within a very short period of time. Within two weeks, due to the financial support, we see convoys leaving Ireland at present. Twenty million euro was the figure Mr. Carey mentioned this morning from the Irish Red Cross. That is phenomenal generosity. The Government will not be found wanting either. As this crisis will unfortunately deepen, we will continue to respond in a compassionate and humanitarian way.