Tánaiste Micheál Martin has sought to downplay reports of a row between ministers over a change to how Ukrainian refugees are housed in Ireland, saying it was “a bit exaggerated”.
There were claims of discord at Cabinet this week over proposals to place a three-month limit on the period the state would be obliged to provide accommodation for people fleeing the Russian invasion.
The Government is looking at moving from current open-ended arrangements amid concerns the state will have no accommodation left for new Ukrainian arrivals next year.
Asked on Thursday whether he was ‘blindsided’ by the proposal by Integration Minister and Green Party TD Roderic O’Gorman, the Fianna Fáil leader said there were “ongoing “discussions”.
“No, in fairness, there’s been ongoing discussion about this, before the Cabinet meeting, and there will be further discussions about this,” Mr Martin said.
“I mean, issues get discussed and teased out at Cabinet, and at Cabinet subcommittee level, and informally between ministers. So I think it’s a bit exaggerated to say there was a row.
“I think the real story is that Ireland has responded very generously, fairly effectively, in respect of the war on Ukraine. This is the first war since the Second World War on the continent of Europe, we must not lose sight of that.
“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin has weaponised migration deliberately, he bombed civilian infrastructure, energy infrastructure, to create panic early in the war and also to kill civilians, and then to create a migration crisis, the largest we have ever experienced on the mainland of Europe.
“Ireland has played its part admirably. We shouldn’t lose sight of that. And obviously, as the war goes on, we have to calibrate our response, reflect on it, that’s all very fair.
“I’m always conscious, fundamentally, we can’t let Putin win this war either. His inhumanity and the Russian invasion, I think, is the ultimate creator of all of this. And we’ve just got to be firm, deal with issues that arise, and we will.”
Minister for Higher and Further Education Simon Harris said formal proposals were needed to ensure the system implemented is “sustainable”.
“I think what is also absolutely clear, and you always have to be honest with this, the status quo can’t continue,” he told reporters.
“We have to be supportive of Ukraine, but we also have to look at the entire package that we can provide to make sure it is sustainable, because we want to be able to continue to support. So it is done from a place of good, as many European countries are doing.
“In relation to Cabinet, it goes without saying, Cabinet meetings are private, but I think what Minister (for Integration Roderic) O’Gorman was doing, quite rightly, was highlighting to colleagues a real issue that we need to grapple with.
“And I think the responsible thing for all of us to do as a Government now is to await formal proposals. And I do think it makes sense when we’re looking at formal proposals for that to consider all aspects.
“I think there’s one opportunity here to look at how do we make sure the offering that we provide to people from Ukraine is honest and sustainable and durable for the weeks, months and potentially years ahead.”
