Sinn Féin TD for Meath West, Johnny Guirke, has called for a full review of the Ukrainian Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP). He was speaking after figures revealed to Matt Carthy TD in response to a Parliamentary Question showed an 18% increase in the number of properties in Meath receiving payments under the scheme and 17% increase across the state since the beginning of 2025. Teachta Guirke said: “It is time for a full review of the Ukrainian Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) Scheme as the number of properties under the scheme continues to grow.
“Figures revealed to my colleague Matt Carthy TD in response to a Parliamentary Question show that there were significant increases in properties receiving payments in all counties since the beginning of the year.
There has been 585 awarded claims in July this year, an 18% increase from January this year when the number of awarded claims where 497.
“There was a 17% increase across the state in the number of properties receiving the payment between January and July this year. That was an increase of 3,125 in the total number of properties in the state being awarded payments under the ARP in that period.
“The number of properties in the scheme in some counties is astonishing – for example there are 2,070 properties receiving payments under the scheme in Donegal, while on Daft.ie there are only 30 properties for rent in the county this morning.
“Given the number of those now claiming the payment for multiple properties, it is increasingly evident that landlords are using this scheme because it is financially beneficial and to avoid tenancy obligations. The figures show that 21,803 properties were provided by 16,900 owners.
“This scheme gives a tax-free payment to landlords, they can also get a top up payment from the person in the property and they can avoid normal tenancy obligations that they would otherwise be bound to when renting in the private rental sector.
“The scheme is deeply unfair because it gives access to non means tested housing support to one group of people which is available to no others, even where others may be on lower wages. “The government has ignored repeated calls for this scheme to be subject to a means test and for the release of any assessments or reports which they have in relation to the impact of the scheme on the private rented sector.
“Following revelations that the number of properties in this scheme grew by 18% in Meath and by 17% across the state since the beginning of the year, it is now time to initiate a full review of the scheme.” he concluded.
