Asylum seekers in Ireland to pay significant sum for State accommodation under new plans

Asylum seekers across Ireland would have to pay up to 40% of their weekly income towards their State accommodation costs under a new plan that is set to be considered by Cabinet on Wednesday.

The new proposals would see a person who is receiving a weekly income of up to €150 pay a potential contribution of around €15, by comparison, a person receiving a payment of up to €340 a week would pay a contribution of around €83 while a person earning €600 a week would contribute around €238.

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The move, if approved by Government, could come into effect in 2026.

Figures from the Department of Justice from 2024 showed approximately 8,000 people in the IPAS system across the country would have been eligible to pay contributions towards their accommodation.

Although, those figures are expected to fall when the EU Migration and Asylum Pact becomes operational in June of next year as the numbers in those seeking asylum is predicted to fall.

This move is one of three measures, including stricter rules around family reunification and increasing the residency requirement for citizenship from three years to five.

Speaking about the issue on Sunday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said, 

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"We've always taken a humanitarian approach, but I think there is necessary tightening up that is required in terms of both the asylum process and in terms of the citizenship process in Ireland. That's in essence, what is envisaged by these reforms."

The Irish Refugee Council however has warned that the new changes are deeply alarming and they "severely undercut two key pillars of refugee integration: a clear route to citizenship and the ability to reunite with family".