Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1472. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of people in Ireland under the EU temporary protection directive that were paid the non contributory State pension in each of the past three years; the number of beneficiaries of the EU temporary protection directive that are currently being paid the non contributory State pension; if a means test has been applied to beneficiaries of the EU temporary protection directive that were paid or are being paid the non contributory State pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20836/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Temporary Protection Directive is a European Union law introduced in 2001. It was incorporated into Irish legislation through Section 60 of the International Protection Act 2015. This Directive established a special procedure to address a "mass influx" of individuals requiring international protection. It was activated for the first time in March 2022 in response to the war in Ukraine and has been extended until March 2026.

The Central Statistics Office published a report titled Arrivals from Ukraine in Ireland Series 15 on the 19th February 2025. The report estimated that 71% of total 112,189 individuals who have been granted Temporary Protection, have remained in Ireland based on PPSN number activity data after November 2024. This indicates that some persons who arrived under the directive have exited Ireland, which accounts for the decline in number of persons under the directive receiving a payment from the Department of Social Protection from 68,333 in 2024 to 52,442 in March 2025 (a decline of 23%).

All non-contributory State pension are subject to a means test. This applies to all applicants, including beneficiaries under temporary protection.