Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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258. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the details of the supports that his Department has provided for Ukraine and for Ukrainian people since February 2022, whether in Ukraine or within the State; the number of people supported, where relevant; the estimated cost and value of the support where available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8872/23]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia’s armed forces, Ireland has welcomed over 68,000 Ukrainian people who have fled the war in their country. The Government has provided key humanitarian supports for people arriving in Ireland from Ukraine. These supports have ranged from the provision of accommodation, social protection supports, education and supports for community response.

My Department is continuing to work with other Government Departments in respect of estimating potential resources that may be required to address the refugee crisis and the impacts on public expenditure. Significant resources have been made available to this end through my Department in order to support the Government’s response. At the end of 2022, approximately €1 billion has been reported by Departments as spent on the provision of humanitarian supports for refugees. Budget 2023 set out a contingency of €2 billion for Ukraine Humanitarian Provision in 2023. Just over €1.5 billion has been allocated to fund Departments in their efforts to assist people who have arrived from Ukraine.

My Department has responsibility for leading on European cohesion policy and the related cohesion policy funds at national level. These funds include the European Regional Development Fund under my own Department, the European Social Fund under Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Asylum Migration and Refugee Fund under the Department of Justice and Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the European Maritime and Aquaculture Fund under DAFM and the Just Transition Fund under Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. My Department is also responsible for REACT-EU (Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe). REACT EU is an initiative under the European Recovery Instrument, Next Generation EU, to respond to the impact of COVID-19 and prepare a green, digital and resilient recovery of the economy.

In April and again in September 2022, the European Commission advanced changes to the regulations governing cohesion policy funds which allowed them to be allocated to meet the needs of Ukrainian refuges. While funding across the range of funds was almost entirely committed, my Department was able to draw on the 2022 REACT-EU allocation of €53.3m.

Following examination of the range of services being delivered to Ukrainian refugees and the extent to which these align with EU funding criteria, €53.3m in unprogrammed REACT EU funds was directed via the European Social Fund to the Department of Social Protection to support a number of measures assisting Ukrainian refugees on arrival in Ireland including, for example, reception, processing, transport and short-term and medium term accommodation. In November 2022 the European Social Fund Programme was amended to implement same and the amendment was adopted by the European Commission.

Additionally, my Department is directly responsible for the supports provided by the Office for Public Works (OPW). Costs to date stand at €2.4 million on the OPW Vote. This spend relates to supports for building works, provision of temporary structures and associated costs to allow to for increased numbers at receptions centres and direct provision centres.