Sharon Keogan: 23,000 Homes - Who Pays?
Sharon Keogan questioned the Minister today over the rising number of properties hosting Ukrainian arrivals and the cost to the Irish taxpayer. She said figures show an increase from 19,000 properties in March 2025 to 23,000 this year and signalled her support for a Sinn Féin amendment.
Sharon Keogan highlighted official figures raised in the debate, noting the jump from 19,000 properties to 23,000 and citing a taxpayer cost described in the chamber as "165 million 800." She warned that if the trend continues the cost will grow and that the scheme risks distorting the housing market.
Keogan stressed questions about equity: many people opened their homes in 2022, but she argued the ongoing arrangements now place an unfair burden on Irish taxpayers. She also asked how many Ukrainian recipients are availing of rent allowance and how many properties remain rented under the scheme.
Keogan said she will support the Sinn Féin amendment brought forward this afternoon and challenged the Minister to provide clearer figures on rent allowance usage. The exchange follows remarks by Senator Herrner and forms part of a wider parliamentary debate on housing supports for refugees and market impacts.
Numbers and cost
Sharon Keogan highlighted official figures raised in the debate, noting the jump from 19,000 properties to 23,000 and citing a taxpayer cost described in the chamber as "165 million 800." She warned that if the trend continues the cost will grow and that the scheme risks distorting the housing market.
Equity and fairness
Keogan stressed questions about equity: many people opened their homes in 2022, but she argued the ongoing arrangements now place an unfair burden on Irish taxpayers. She also asked how many Ukrainian recipients are availing of rent allowance and how many properties remain rented under the scheme.
Political response
Keogan said she will support the Sinn Féin amendment brought forward this afternoon and challenged the Minister to provide clearer figures on rent allowance usage. The exchange follows remarks by Senator Herrner and forms part of a wider parliamentary debate on housing supports for refugees and market impacts.
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Transcript
Thank you Minister for coming in today and I just want to concur with what Senator Herrner said in relation to the kindness of the people of Ireland when it came to March 2022 and when the nation was faced with taking in Ukrainian refugees because of the war with Russia and many many thousands of people opened their hearts and opened their homes to the Ukrainian people. But here we are four years later and we're saying another another year and the cost of that one year and I actually thought I just looked up the figures there it actually increased it was 19,000 properties last year in 2025. March 2025 was 19,000 properties were availing of this and this year it is 23,000 properties so it seems to be going up and if it continues like that that's a cost of 165 million 800 on the taxpayer. So like the Sinn Féin amendment that's put down I will be supporting that. I feel it is distorting the housing market and also I want to do you know how many Ukrainians are in possession of their rent allowance supplement as well do we have a figure for that at this moment in time how many how many Ukrainians are availing of the rent because that was always they were always able to get their rent allowance from the moment they arrived in the country if they couldn't get accommodation in hotels or in B&Bs they were always able to get and apply to the county councils to get rent allowance. So do you know how many are getting rent allowance and how many properties that is that at this moment in time that are that have been rented. So for me it is the inequity of the scheme and the unfairness of the scheme on the Irish taxpayer and I will be supporting the motion that Sinn Féin have done this afternoon.