Asylum seeker contributions and ARP review
Deputy Doherty criticises the lack of charges for working asylum seekers and says the accommodation recognition payment scheme is unfair. The Minister says the ARP is under review and that any changes to contributions for international protection applicants will go to the Cabinet subcommittee on migration.
It is reported today that the Government will finally consider asking asylum seekers who are working to make a contribution towards the costs of their accommodation, food, energy and Wi-Fi bills. These are things that every other worker has to pay for out of their wages, and the fact that the Government has not introduced charges for these things for those working asylum seekers who can afford to pay is a classic example of the unfairness the Government has created and presided over.
Another example of unfairness is the Government's accommodation recognition payment, ARP, scheme. The scheme provides €800 per month to pay for rent for Ukrainians, regardless of whether they are working and regardless of their income. The payment, as the Minister knows, is tax free. That means that to a landlord it is worth €1,600. It provides an advantage to Ukrainians that is not available to other renters. In particular, in constituencies like mine, in Donegal, where the average rent is below €1,600, it is pricing ordinary renters out of the market. It is not fair. We warned at the outset of the scheme that this would put further pressure on the private rental sector, and it is manifestly unfair. Will the Government end the scheme in the way Sinn Féin proposed earlier this year?
Comment on this
The ARP scheme is being reviewed in the context of the extension of the directive. The operation of that scheme is being reviewed. We do not want to see a situation whereby properties that were previously in a rental market - and that is being looked at-----
Comment on this
Which is happening, and the Government parties refused to deal with this when we told them.
Comment on this
I am trying to answer the Deputy. Will he just relax for a minute?
With regard to the contributions by those who are seeking international protection here, first, as a country, we still have a moral and a humanitarian obligation to look after those who are seeking shelter from persecution here. While they are here, what contributions they will make is a matter that will be brought forward at the Cabinet subcommittee on migration in the coming weeks. We await proposals on that as to whether changes will be made in that regard.