Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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590. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will outline the application form, details and processes involved in applying for the €400 a month payment for those who are offering accommodation to citizens from Ukraine fleeing the war; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31880/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Government has approved a monthly flat rate recognition payment of €400 per property in respect of individual properties (shared or vacant) to those who provide accommodation for people fleeing the war in Ukraine. My Department will administer the payment on behalf of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

The recognition payment will be conditional on a minimum time commitment for hosting (6 months), with payments continuing for hosting arrangements beyond this timeframe. Payments will be backdated for those providing accommodation since the outbreak of the conflict.

The payment is a ‘recognition payment’, that is, a financial contribution that recognises the generosity of those who have opened their homes to those fleeing the war in Ukraine. The payment will be available to all people hosting those who have arrived here from Ukraine, irrespective of whether this arrangement was made privately and directly or made through the Irish Red Cross pledge process.

The rate is not related to any specific named additional costs or category of costs incurred. The payment will be exempt from income tax and excluded from any means testing for other schemes of State supports.

It is intended to have the necessary legislation to enable the payment in place by mid-July.

Officials in my Department are working with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the Department of Justice to input to the necessary legislation and are  developing the administrative and IT systems to support this important payment.  People will be able to apply for the payment online through my Department’s MyWelfare.ie service once the necessary legislation is in place. Payment will be made monthly in arrears, and it is intended that the first payments will issue in August.

I trust that this clarifies matters for the Deputy.