Sinn Féin has called for a review of the Government's policy of paying people to allow Ukrainian refugees to use their spare rooms or properties, saying the scheme is unfair on other people, and is potentially disrupting the wider rental market.
The party's Justice, Home Affairs and Migration spokesperson Matt Carthy called for the policy to be examined, before rejecting claims he and his party are using the issue to "dog whistle" to anti-immigrant groups.
According to figures obtained by Sinn Féin, the number of properties receiving a payment under the Government accommodation recognition payment scheme rose by 17% between January and July of this year.
This, a party statement said, is "deeply unfair" to other people who are renting as the supports are not means-tested, and are distorting the wider rental market.
Asked about the claims by journalists today, Mr Carthy said the "evidence appears to be bearing out" the Sinn Féin concerns, but did not provide specific examples of how this is the case.
He said the scheme is giving landlords "a tax free payment" of hundreds of euro a month to cover costs, as well as "top up payments", which he said are "unregulated".
'Wide open for landlords'
While saying the initial objective of the policy, namely to help Ukrainians fleeing war, was "laudable", Mr Carthy said subsequent changes by Government have left the scheme "wide open for landlords" and others to use the scheme, saying that 21,000 properties owned by less than 17,000 people are the subject of payments.
Mr Carthy said "now is the time to carry out a review", but said when asked if the call is a "dog whistle" to anti-immigrant groups: "This is about setting out very clearly that what is going on is fair."
The Sinn Féin TD said his party "wouldn't want to see at the end of this a cliff edge where people housed under this scheme all of a sudden become homeless, no one's suggesting that".
However, he added that "nothing" causes "social anxiety or division more than if people see one set of people being treated differently than another set in housing need".
