Unconditional support of Ukraine. (Biased, unfair and unjust support towards Ukrainians and their leaders)

Unconditional support of Ukraine.

(Biased, unfair and unjust support towards Ukrainians and their leaders: Ireland, EU, USA, Israel... play along)

Meanwhile, most Western countries ignore refugees from: Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, extra.

The hypocrisy and double standard of the West, show such support for only one country, a 'European country', with a majority of the Caucasian population..

Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and other countries have been experiencing ongoing wars, unrests and conflicts for many years, some for decades.

But they are largely ignored in the western world and in the media.

I will provide some articles, and photos below (and follow-up over the next few days).

Host families to receive monthly payment of €400

Payment likely to be flat rate but unlikely to be available for a number of months

Jennifer Bray, Cormac McQuinn

Ministers have approved the provision of a monthly payment of €400 to people hosting Ukrainian refugees, but the support is unlikely to be available for a number of months.

Coalition leaders and Ministers agreed on the matter yesteday at a sub-committee meeting where accommodation and education for refugees were discussed. The decision was taken pending full Cabinet approval, which will likely come next week.

It has not yet been agreed who would administer the payment, but the expectation is it will be Revenue or the Department of Social Protection.

Ministers will also have to decide if there will be an application process for the payment or if it will be automatically given to all who have taken in people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

The intention had been to provide a flat rate payment to minimise the complexity of administering it – which would mean it would not vary depending on how many people were being accommodated, or where in the State the property is.

It is understood legislation will be required to offer the payment and it may take a few months to have this drafted and passed through the Oireachtas. Ministers also agreed to expedite Garda vetting for households who voluntarily pledged a place.

The details of the payment have emerged at a time when authorities are under pressure to find accommodation for Ukrainian refugees. More than 29,000 people have come to Ireland, with about 20,000 requiring State-provided accommodation.

New figures show the State has spent more that €16.7 million on emergency accommodation such as hotels and B&Bs to house people fleeing the war at the end of last month. More that 5,000 hotel rooms have been booked by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) to accommodate people who have fled since late February. Other accommodation has been sourced elsewhere.

Solutions

Hotel rooms have been booked by the IPAS – typically for durations of between 3-6 months – to house refugees as medium and long-term housing solutions are being developed.

The figures were provided by Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman to Sinn Féin TD for Kerry Pa Daly, who asked how much had been spent on privately owned accommodation such as hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs.

In a written response, Mr O’Gorman said IPAS has contracted some 5,000 hotel rooms. He said additional capacity was being pursued “through different means including hotels, guest houses and B&Bs, accommodation pledged by the public, religious properties, accommodation operated by voluntary organisations, and local authority facilities”.

The Minister said the €16.7 million figure takes account of all invoices received, processed and paid out directly by the department to accommodation providers to the end of April.

The figure was said to be “preliminary and subject to final verification”.

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Vacant social homes to be made available for Ukrainian refugees in Ireland

Minister to outline plans to Cabinet addressing acute accommodation pressures

Vacant social homes will be brought back into use for Ukrainian refugees while a new cross-department taskforce has been established to oversee the long-term response.

Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien is expected to bring a memo to Cabinet tomorrow outlining medium and long-term plans to address acute accommodation pressures.

The Cabinet was warned last week that all accommodation types could be at maximum capacity by the last week of April. It is understood that arrivals over Friday and Saturday were relatively low at 277 across the two days, which continues the trend from over Easter.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin yesterday rejected the idea of putting caps on the number of Ukrainian refugees arriving in Ireland after more than 25,000 arrived in just over two months.

Mr O’Brien is expected to update Cabinet about an expanded voids programme whereby vacant social homes will be brought back into use. Some 6,000 such homes were brought back into use over the past two years.

Acquisition programme

He will also detail an expanded acquisition programme where local authorities will have greater flexibilities to acquire homes. It is also understood about 100 vacant properties have been identified by local authorities around the country for potential use.

A cross-sectoral and cross-departmental housing taskforce has been established to develop longer-term housing options in response to the war in Ukraine.

The taskforce is examining the conversion of vacant buildings, both State owned and private, into suitable accommodation for those fleeing Ukraine. It will also look at the activation of planning permissions which have not yet commenced.

The Minister has emergency powers available to him under existing laws whereby certain planning requirements can be bypassed to speed up delivery in emergency situations and a source said the department is working with stakeholders to finalise where these powers could be used.

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Ukrainian crisis: Information for Ukrainians and how you can help

01 March 2022

The Immigrant Council Helpline continues to respond to queries from concerned Ukrainians living in Ireland on issues of family reunification and other immigration matters. Read our statement on the crisis in Ukraine

For Ukrainians in Ireland

Immigration info for bringing loved ones from Ukraine to Ireland

You can find the Irish government’s FAQs here. This FAQ document provides the most up to date arrangements for Ukrainian citizens and their family members wishing to travel to Ireland. This document will be updated on an ongoing basis as the arrangements and developments change. 

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Varadkar and partner register home to take in Ukrainian refugees

Speaking on Saturday after meeting with refugees at Dublin Airport, Varadkar said the "biggest challenge" facing the Irish State is providing sufficient accommodation for those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. 

Tánaise Leo Varadkar has confirmed that he and his partner Matt Barrett have registered with the Irish Red Cross to accommodate Ukrainian refugees in their spare room. 

Speaking on Saturday after meeting with refugees at Dublin Airport, Varadkar said the "biggest challenge" facing the Irish State is providing sufficient accommodation for those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. 

"Accommodation is going to be the biggest challenge, that is fair to say," Varadkar told reporters at Dublin Airport on Saturday. 

...A Positive Influencer can change the world. Agree❓

(Millions of euros raised to support Ukraine, Ukrainian refugees...)

Home Office tells asylum seeker he can return to Syria safely

... Return to Syria safely?! - Why don't Ukrainians safely return to Ukraine?!