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For Written Answer on : 14/05/2024
Question Number(s): 425 Question Reference(s): 21183/24
Department: Justice
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Justice if there is a pathway for people from Ukraine who are currently living and working here under the EU Temporary Protection Directive to avail of a more permanent arrangement granting them a right to remain; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
The Temporary Protection Directive , which provides immediate protection in EU countries for people displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, was extended to March 2025 at a meeting of the European Council last September. As of Sunday 05 May 2024, a total of 106,617 people have been granted temporary protection in Ireland.
I can advise the Deputy that it is open to all beneficiaries of temporary protection to avail of any existing immigration permission provided that they meet the relevant criteria, subject to the same conditions as all other third country nationals. However, it is not possible to hold more than one immigration permission at the same time.
Discussions on the arrangements for beneficiaries of temporary protection after March 2025, when the Directive is no longer active, are ongoing, both within the Government and at an EU level, in recognition of the need for certainty for beneficiaries of temporary protection in the EU.
However, at this point in time, it is too early to say with certainty what arrangements will be in place in March 2025. The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot pre-empt future discussions and decisions of either the EU or the Government. I expect, however, that the prevailing conditions in Ukraine will be a significant influence on any decisions taken, and these clearly remain highly uncertain.
The Government supports the strong call from EU Member States for a harmonised approach to Temporary Protection post March 2025, beyond a merely coordinated approach. Such an approach is needed to avoid overburdening national international protection systems, which was a key factor in the decision to activate the Temporary Protection Directive in response to the war in Ukraine.
Finally, I can assure the Deputy that beneficiaries of Temporary Protection continue to avail of the protections that the Directive provides.
