Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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1116. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of Ukrainian refugees who have been welcomed to Ireland to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1417/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that 70,850 former residents of Ukraine have been granted temporary protection up to 13 January 2023.

As the Deputy will be aware, there is a coordinated whole-of-Government response to provide the necessary supports to people arriving here in accordance with Ireland’s commitments under the EU Temporary Protection Directive.

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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1117. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he has had interactions with his counterparts in other EU member states and with relevant agencies in relation to Ukrainian refugees who fled to EU states but have since returned to Ukraine; if his attention has been drawn to the estimated number who have returned to Ukraine to date based on those interactions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1420/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the EU Temporary Protection Directive (2001/55/EC) was activated by the EU Council in March 2022 in response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The Directive establishes the minimum standards of protection to be provided by Member States in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons from third countries who are unable to return to their country of origin.

Since the activation of the Temporary Protection Directive, the EU Commission has played an integral role in coordinating the overall response at an EU level with a number of operational networks designed to support information sharing and the effective implementation of the Directive.

In accordance with the Directive and the guidance issued by the EU Commission, people enjoying temporary protection are entitled to return to Ukraine for short-term visits. In that context, discussions at an EU level have highlighted the challenges with estimating the number of people who have returned to Ukraine more permanently.

I can assure the Deputy that my Government colleagues and I will continue to work with our EU counterparts on any further EU-wide measures that might be needed to assist those fleeing Ukraine.