Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has said while there will be a mechanism to encourage Ukrainian people to return to their homeland, he will not make any announcement yet about a repatriation payment.
It follows a report in the Sunday Times that Ukrainian refugees living in Ireland will receive payments from the Irish Government only once they return to their home country.
Mr O'Callaghan said he has not got full Government approval yet for any plan to give Ukrainian people a payment to return home.
He said he was "very conscious that, having listened to the Ukrainian government figures and the Minister for Home Affairs in Ukraine, they're very anxious for Ukrainian people to return back to Ukraine".
He said there are also some people who may wish to stay in Ireland and that there needs to be a "variety of mechanisms in place to ensure that we do facilitate people who want to go back home to Ukraine".
The minister said he would not discuss any details about payments, that it would be "disrespectful to his Government colleagues" but that "certainly there will be a mechanism in place to encourage people that want to go back to Ukraine, and it may be the case that they need some assistance in going back there, and I think that would be appropriate in the circumstances".
Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan secured agreement on the issue at the Cabinet Committee on Justice, Migration and Social Affairs.
The process will begin in August on a phased basis over a six-month period.
People will be afforded a minimum of three months' notice of this change.
The properties will be returned to tourism and potentially the private rental sector.
It was also agreed to wind down the €600 Accommodation Recognition Payment Scheme in the last four months of this year and to end it next March.
A reduction to €400 could be introduced in September and this will affect around 42,000 people in hosted accommodation.
The Government will work with the EU on the development of a Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme to Ukraine with a probable commencement of March 2027.
