Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the Government needs to slow down the number of refugees coming to Ireland because of accommodation capacity issues.
Speaking at a private Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting, Mr Varadkar told TDs and Senators that Ireland’s offering of social welfare and accommodation is resulting in Ukrainians and refugees who have spent time in other EU countries seeking shelter here.
He told the meeting that “we have to be realistic on that".
Sources said Mr Varadkar addressed the reports of a major row that erupted at Cabinet over Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman’s proposal to offer newly arrived Ukrainians just 90 days of State accommodation before they have to find their own place to live.
Mr Varadkar said that “disagreements in government are quite common,” but that there was a capacity issue.
Sources said Mr Varadkar said: “We need to try and slow down the numbers that are arriving quite frankly”, adding that there is an issue of “secondary movement", whereby refugees spend time in other European countries before moving to Ireland.
Mr Varadkar said 30% of people coming from Ukraine recently have spent “quite some time” in another EU country.
He said the Government now needed to adapt its approach to the recent influx of people, a position he said he didn’t like to be in.
He said the Government is in this position because the overall offering that Ireland offers in terms of accommodation and welfare is better than other countries.
He said the changes to how the State supports Ukrainians need to be done right but that the Government has to work out how the changes will impact the housing system which is “a particular concern.”
He also said how the change in support impacts education for Ukrainian children also needs to be worked out.
The Taoiseach told the meeting on Wednesday night that the Government would not turn Ukrainians or asylum seekers from other countries away.
He said we are required under EU and international law that anyone can come here to seek international protection. He also said people will look back at this period in many years and be proud of the country’s efforts to offer accommodation to those fleeing war.
He said the number of Ukrainians coming to Ireland has increased again and while there is no limit on the compassion of Irish people, there is a level of the State’s capacity to accommodate everyone and the Government has hit that point now.
