Nick Henderson

Good morning, Clare.

Thanks for having me.

Yeah, we're really concerned by these proposals, mostly and fundamentally because of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

People from Ukraine are here under the Temporary Protection Directive, which gives people protection while there is an ongoing conflict and war in Ukraine.

The directive requires that people are given accommodation, and Ireland and the Irish people have been very welcoming and very generous towards Ukrainians.

But we are really concerned that because...

in Ukraine to then wind down accommodation quite abruptly in some circumstances would be really, really problematic for people who are in that accommodation.

Both people are in hotels.

I think it's around 18,000 people.

And then...

Also, the people who are living in the 42,000 people who are in the accommodation provided by the accommodation recognition payment.

Yeah, indeed.

Recognition payment.

Yeah, so they plan to, from the proposals that we've read, they would plan to end that by March next year, which is when the temporary protection regime will end, although there have been rumours and discussions that it could be extended again, which would change the situation fundamentally.

As we understand it, the ARP payment would wind down and end next March and be reduced, I think, to €400 in September.

And the ARP can't be overstated how important that payment and that support is.

42,000 people from Ukraine hosted by 18,000 Irish people.

And it's probably the only avenue of accommodation that exists, both for people arriving in Ireland today who are only accommodated for 30 days,

We've seen that and we've put forward proposals to government about how it could be tweaked and amended with those concerns.

I also think they, in some circumstances, been overstated.