Simon Harris: Welfare rate changes and asylum seekers paying for accommodation could be on cards
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Changing welfare rates and making asylum seekers pay for accommodation are measures being considered by the Government to tackle the increase in migration, Taoiseach Simon Harris has said.
Mr Harris said that the Government will be examining changes to asylum seeker payments, alongside looking at making individuals granted leave to remain to pay a portion of their accommodation costs.
Speaking on the , the Taoiseach said that he is “absolutely determined” to get a grip on migration, saying that there will be a number of issues reviewed by the Government, including welfare rates paid to asylum seekers.
He said that while Ireland is a “compassionate country” that wants to help people, the overall immigration system must be “fair”.
“What does a grip of this mean? It means that we actually have a system that people in this country understand and a system in this country that people who come here understand,” Mr Harris said.
“That we have a coordinated response, that we don’t just everyday talk about accommodation or tents, but we also talk about the social welfare system and how that interacts.
“We talk about accommodation costs and what’s a fair contribution somebody should make towards accommodation when they have status.
“We talk about a consistency of approach to people from Ukraine.
“It shouldn’t be whether you came one month or not that you get a different level of support.”
Mr Harris added that the number of workplace inspections should be increased to ensure that anyone working is doing so legally.
The Taoiseach also said that the State will “absolutely provide shelter” to asylum seekers, but admitted that it may not necessarily be housing.
“They [the public] want us to be honest with people coming to this country about what we can and can’t do. We can absolutely provide shelter but not necessarily housing for people who come here,” Mr Harris said.
“We can absolutely use state land to provide people with access to sanitation and help people who are fleeing persecution, but we also have to be truthful in relation to what we can do.”
Mr Harris also admitted that tents may continue to arise in parts of Dublin city, but said that long-term encampments similar to what happened on Mount Street will not happen again.
He said that there is “no doubt” that Ireland benefits from immigration, adding that he wants to see more people coming in to work in the health and construction sectors.
However, the Taoiseach cautioned people against using the asylum system to arrive into Ireland to work, saying that they should instead apply for a work permit.
Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said that the Government want to ensure they are complying with their international obligations, but that they only want to provide asylum seekers with what they are legally entitled to.
“That is the ceiling. We want to make sure we’re giving people what they’re entitled to. Nothing more, nothing less,” Ms Humphreys said, speaking in Clare on Monday.