Temporary Protection is a European Union emergency mechanism activated in response to mass displacement. In March 2022, following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU activated the Temporary Protection Directive for the first time. Ireland implemented the scheme shortly thereafter, granting immediate protection to people fleeing the conflict.
Under Temporary Protection, beneficiaries are granted permission to reside in the State, access the labour market, receive income supports, and avail of public services including healthcare and education. The status is time-limited and has been extended at EU level, currently running until March 2027.
Ireland has received a significant number of beneficiaries under this scheme. The response has required rapid mobilisation of accommodation, income support and integration infrastructure.
How Temporary Protection Has Operated in Ireland
Upon arrival, beneficiaries are registered and issued with temporary protection permission. This provides:
• The right to reside in Ireland
• Immediate access to employment and self-employment
• Access to social protection supports
• Access to healthcare and education
Ireland’s response combines temporary state-provided accommodation with a large-scale community hosting model. Many individuals and families were accommodated through pledged accommodation offered by members of the public, alongside hotel-based and other emergency accommodation arrangements coordinated by the State.
Over time, accommodation pressures increased due to the scale of arrivals and the broader national housing shortage. The State introduced time limits on certain forms of emergency accommodation for new arrivals, including a 90-day and later a 30-day limit. These changes represented a shift away from the initial open-ended approach to state-provided accommodation and increased reliance on alternative housing pathways.
The Accommodation Recognition Payment has been a central component of the community hosting model, providing financial support to individuals hosting beneficiaries in their homes.
Nasc’s Engagement
Nasc is one of the core members of the Ukraine Civil Society Forum, a network of organisations working to coordinate civil society responses, share information, and advocate for effective and rights-based implementation of Temporary Protection in Ireland.
Through this engagement, we contribute frontline insight, policy analysis, and advocacy aimed at ensuring that Temporary Protection beneficiaries are supported in a manner consistent with Ireland’s human rights and equality obligations.
Current Policy Context
Temporary Protection is extended at EU level until March 2027. However, the status remains temporary and subject to EU decision-making. Beneficiaries therefore continue to experience uncertainty regarding their long-term security of residence.
The interaction between Temporary Protection, housing supply constraints, and evolving government policy has created vulnerabilities for some beneficiaries, particularly those who are newly arriving or transitioning out of hosted arrangements.
Our Priorities
1. Emergency Accommodation for New Arrivals Beyond 30 Days
Newly arriving beneficiaries should not face homelessness or instability due to short accommodation timeframes. We are calling for the extension of emergency accommodation supports beyond the current 30-day limit to ensure sufficient time to secure longer-term housing.
2. Continuation of the Accommodation Recognition Payment
The Accommodation Recognition Payment has been critical in sustaining accommodation capacity and preventing displacement. We support its continuation to maintain stability for both hosts and beneficiaries.
3. Security of Status Beyond 2027
Beneficiaries require clarity regarding their residence rights beyond March 2027. We are calling for early and transparent policy planning to provide secure and durable status pathways to remain in Ireland.
