Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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5. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if it is the position of the Department that the non-application of means tests regarding supports for persons seeking international protection was in contravention of European Union regulations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37646/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department administers the Daily Expenses Allowance on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

The allowance is paid to International Protection applicants who live in or are on a waiting list to move into accommodation provided by the International Protection Accommodation Services.

The weekly rate is €38.80 for an adult and €29.80 for a child. This is the equivalent of €5.54 per day for an Adult and €4.25 per day for a Child.

This is a small allowance designed to help people with their living expenses.

The Daily Expenses Allowance was introduced in 2018, as a replacement for the Direct Provision Allowance, and there has been no increase to the payment rate since 2019.

Ireland opted into the EU Reception Conditions Directive which lays down standards for the reception of applicants for International Protection. Ireland transposed this Directive by means of the European Communities Reception Conditions Regulations 2018.

The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth subsequently developed and published the White Paper on Ending Direct Provision which committed to ending the existing system of direct provision and to the introduction of a new payment system, including a means-tested International Protection Payment. This payment was to apply for four months after a person had made their application for protection.

At the same time, the Minister for Justice announced changes which allowed International Protection applicants the right to work after six months.

The combined effect of these two measures would have meant that the period during which a person could receive a payment would not coincide with the period during which they could work meaning the question of income testing would not arise.

As such, while it is acknowledged that the income testing required under the Regulation was not immediately in place, the proposed Government approach at the time was consistent with the regulations' requirements.

However, policy must be developed in real time and in the real world. There have been unprecedented global challenges since the introduction of the 2018 regulations - including the Covid-19 Pandemic and the war in Ukraine and as such the White Paper proposals have not proceeded as originally envisaged.

In May 2024, Government announced a review of entitlements of International Protection applicants. As part of this review, my Department commenced income testing for International Protection applicants receiving the Daily Expenses Allowance.

Almost 6,050 people have had their payments stopped to date as a result of this change.