Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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302. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the method by which the rates of payment are presently being calculated for those premises providing accommodation for Ukrainian refugees; if there is a set rate; if not, if it varies from accommodation to accommodation; if so, the criteria used to assess this; if there is an appeal method against the rate set; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14388/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Ireland has responded to the largest displacement of people on the European continent since the Second World War. Since February 2022, my Department has worked to accommodate an unprecedented volume of persons seeking refuge following the invasion of Ukraine, with over 77,000 people arriving in Ireland, including 57,000 who have sought accommodation from this Department.

Overseeing provision of accommodation on this scale during this timeframe for all those who require it remains immensely challenging. Due to the urgent need to source accommodation, my Department has contracted in excess of 47,000 beds to accommodate Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in more than 750 settings including hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels, commercial self-catering accommodation and certain other repurposed settings. In addition, close to 7,000 beneficiaries have also been accommodated in pledged accommodation properties.

The priority is to place people fleeing the war in safe and secure accommodation.

It should also be noted that the accommodation procurement effort for Ukrainian BOTPs is overwhelmingly comprised of commercial transactions, with offers made on a commercial basis through a dedicated portal on gov.ie. The Department must assess commercial offers based on

-the extent to which they meet standards for temporary accommodation (e.g. personal space, storage, bathroom facilities etc);

-policy requirements in relation to, for instance, non-interference with the housing market, student accommodation and nursing home places; and

-the rates being sought by the provider.

While the assessment of offers must take place in as transparent and open a fashion as possible and secure the best value for money in the circumstances, the commercial terms eventually being offered by the Department remain sensitive. However, they are calculated based on the Department’s rates card, taking into account the particular accommodation offering and other factors. It is of course entirely open to any prospective accommodation provider to refuse the rates being offered by the Department and to use their property for an alternative commercial purpose.