Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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286. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when an accommodation provider for Ukrainian refugees (details supplied) who is experiencing financial difficulties will receive payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12013/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department has engaged over 700 properties to provide accommodation for Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection. In line with the Department’s commitment to substantially clear the backlog at the end of 2022, I temporarily re-assigned staff from other parts of the Department in December, doubling the size of the payments unit. The enlarged team approved more than 100 million euros worth of payments.

My Department is prioritising maintaining a practice of more timely payments, including providing more resources to address any issues. Any delays in making payments are deeply regretted and my Department is according this issue very high priority.

I am advised by my officials that the outstanding Invoices for this Supplier have been processed as priority, with payment for December to February expected to issue in the coming week, pending final checks. The delay in payment is due to the large volume of invoices being received by my Department. Additional resources have been assigned within my Department and the volume of payments issuing is steadily growing. My Department will continue to press on to eliminate the backlog while ensuring appropriate governance is in place to safeguard the proper spending of Exchequer funding.