Government reviews €800 payment for Ukrainian refugee hosts after criticism it is ‘unfair’ to other tenants

The payment was previously €400 per month and was increased to €800 to house Ukrainians in spare rooms or empty properties owned by members of the public.

However, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien told the Dáil the payment was now under review after Sinn Féin said it was unfair to other tenants.

Mr O’Brien said the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) was being considered in the context of the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive, which grants Ukrainian refugees EU protection.

“We don’t want to see a situation where properties that were previously on the rental market… are being looked at,” he said.

Mr Doherty said the €800 was paid to people hosting Ukrainians regardless of whether the refugee was working or not and regardless of their income.

He said this offered an “advantage to Ukrainians that is not available to other tenants.”

“This is pricing ordinary tenants out of the market. It’s not fair,” he said. “Are you going to end this scheme as Sinn Féin proposed earlier this year?”

In February, the party submitted an amendment to the bill, which was rejected by the government.

“Our amendment is to provide €800 tax-free payment to landlords and host families who make properties available to Ukrainians and to extend this scheme for a further year,” Mr Doherty said at the time.

“The Development Recognition Payment Scheme was introduced two years ago, at a time of great uncertainty, but we now need to examine its impact and fairness.”

Mr Doherty said that in his Donegal constituency, where the average rent is around €800, a landlord could either rent a property to a private tenant for €800, subject to tax, or take €800 tax-free and rent it to a temporary protection beneficiary.

“This would allow the owner to save hundreds of euros.”