Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

131. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the total amount paid out by her Department for the accommodation recognition payment since 4 March 2022; the total number of recipients of this payment; the number who have applied for a backdated payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14957/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Accommodation Recognition Payment is administered by my Department on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. It is available to individuals hosting people who are beneficiaries of Temporary Protection having fled the conflict in Ukraine. The rate of payment increased from €400 per calendar month to €800 per calendar month with effect from 1^stDecember 2022.

As at 22^ndMarch 2023 €22.9 million has been paid to recipients of the payment and 5,234 individual hosts are currently in receipt of the payment. A total of 6,739 individual hosts have received at least one payment since the introduction of the scheme.

The scheme opened for applications on Tuesday 26th July 2022. People who make an application are paid in respect of each calendar month for which they have an entitlement from March 2022.

I trust that this clarifies matters for the Deputy.