Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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304. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is a prohibition on those people availing of the accommodation recognition payment from offering or paying an additional financial sum, above the €800 State subsidy per month, to the owner of the property; the way this is regulated; if there have been any instances whereby his Department was informed of this practise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6885/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) was introduced in July 2022 to recognise the generosity of people who have opened their homes to provide accommodation to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) arriving in Ireland from Ukraine. The ARP is paid at the rate of €800 per month per property with a unique Eircode (vacant or shared). The scheme is provided for under Part 2 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 and is administered by the Department of Social Protection on behalf of my Department.

A person providing accommodation to BOTPs on a commercial basis is ineligible to participate in the ARP scheme. Where a rental agreement is in place, the ARP is not payable. The ARP does not create a landlord and tenant relationship between the accommodation host who has qualified for the financial contribution and the Ukrainians living in the accommodation. It does not give Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection in accommodation an automatic right to tenancy.

My Department has been informed of anecdotal evidence of additional payments by a BOTP to an ARP applicant. The legislation is silent in relation to such matters. If such payments are being made, that is a matter between the parties concerned.

The Government continues to keep the operation of the Scheme under review.

Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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305. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to reconsider the end date for the accommodation recognition payment scheme for Ukrainian refugee’s living in Ireland, the scheme is due to end 31 March 2025. [7117/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) was introduced to recognise the generosity of people who have opened their homes to provide accommodation to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) who arrived in Ireland after fleeing the war in Ukraine.

The ARP scheme is provided in Part 2 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 and is administered by the Department of Social Protection on my behalf. In line with extensions of the EU Temporary Protection Directive (TPD), the ARP scheme was initially extended to 31 March 2024 and then to 31 March 2025.

As the TPD is now extended to March 2026, consideration is being given to the extension of the ARP scheme. Resolutions must be passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas before this Order is made.

A decision will be reached in respect of the ARP shortly.