Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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334. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of his considerations in relation to extending the housing assistance payment scheme to Ukrainian refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24923/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is leading the initial humanitarian response, including providing accommodation for persons arriving in Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, my Department is focusing on the longer-term accommodation challenges and is leading cross-government efforts through a Housing Taskforce established by the Government for this purpose. All accommodation and housing options are being examined by the taskforce. These include medium-term delivery of rapid delivery volumetric accommodation; refurbishing and reconfiguring vacant buildings; and stimulating and accelerating construction of new permanent build homes.

While the Government continues to examine all options as part of its humanitarian response, including accommodation issues and appropriate responses to address these, there are no plans to extend availability of the Housing Assistance Payment to persons arriving in Ireland from Ukraine under the Temporary Protection Directive.