Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has said that the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) Scheme, which is paid to homeowners who offer accommodation to Ukrainians, is squeezing ordinary workers out of the market.
He was speaking after it was revealed that some 10,000 Ukrainians are being accommodated in close to 4,000 homes across that state.
Brady said:
“The government’s ARP Scheme provides €800 is per month to provide accommodation for Ukrainians, regardless of whether they are working and regardless of their income.
“This is an issue that members of the public are raising on a regular basis. Many of whom feel that they are being disadvantaged in the rental market by the government’s tax free scheme in support of Ukrainians.
“Sinn Féin challenged Minister Darragh O’Brien about the unfairness of this issue in the Dáil last Thursday.
“The €800 payment is tax free to the landlord, meaning this is the equivalent of a landlord being paid rent of €1600 outside of this scheme.
The fee is being paid regardless of whether the Ukrainian recipient is working or not.
“In areas where average rent is below this level, this scheme is squeezing ordinary renters out of the market.
“In February, when the government decided to extend this scheme to March 2026, Sinn Féin argued that it should only be extended to those currently in the scheme, and that no new properties should be added to the scheme.
“Given the enormous pressures on the rental market and ever-increasing record homeless figures, this scheme is manifestly unfair and cannot be allowed to continue.
There are families across Wicklow struggling with eye watering rents. Families and workers who will never be able to afford to buy a home, as they are stuck on the punishing treadmill which is the rental market in Wicklow. Many, many people who if they are as much as a cent over the income threshold are deemed not to have a housing need, which means that they cannot qualify to go on a social housing list or qualify for housing supports. All we can ask for is fairness for all renters.” ENDs