Written answers

Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Ukraine War

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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628. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department will produce a roadmap for supporting all persons arriving in Ireland from Ukraine in conjunction with other Government Departments and State agencies. [14711/22]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department is working closely with the Department of Justice which is responsible for providing people with a letter or certificate confirming that they are covered by the EU Directive. We are also working closely with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and its International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) which has responsibility for the provision of accommodation and related services.  

My Department is focusing on the provision of Public Personal Service numbers (PPSNs) to people arriving from Ukraine and the provision of income supports.  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.  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, or HRC, and the relevant means test.

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 PPSNs are allocated quickly and that financial supports are provided. 

The Department’s aim will be to ensure that the customer’s application for supplementary welfare is 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.

I hope this is of assistance to the Deputy.

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