The Department of Integration is considering exemptions to allow Ukrainian refugees to travel over the Christmas period.
Earlier this month, the department tightened its absence policy, so that refugees could no longer leave their State-provided accommodation unless in exceptional circumstances.
This was done due to the significant pressure on available accommodation.
Prior to these changes, refugees could only leave their accommodation for a maximum of seven days.
Under the new protocol, introduced on 7 October, this was reduced to zero.
However, the department has confirmed that it is considering exemptions for the Christmas period. These will likely be communicated within the next two weeks.
It is understood that enforcing the absence policy to date has proved challenging, due to the Department of Integration's reliance on the private sector.
Where bed capacity is tight, the department increases checks with accommodation providers to ensure that all available beds are being used.
A spokesperson for the Department of Integration said that the new absence protocol introduced earlier this month, "acknowledges that the constrained supply of new accommodation coming on stream does not align with the number of new arrivals to Ireland".
"It is of paramount importance that the State takes all necessary steps to maximise the supply of available beds as we approach the winter months to ensure that a bed will always be available for any BOTP (Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection) who needs it."
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The Chief Executive of the Irish Refugee Council has said that the council would be "concerned about any policy that would mean that people couldn't be absent from their accommodation for any time, and I think it would be particularly important that people would be able to be absent at Christmas time."
Speaking on RTÉ's News At One, Nick Henderson said refugees from Ukraine are in a "relatively unique" situation in that people do travel within Europe and engage in what's called "pendulum movement" - they are not suffering individual persecution, but can go back to the country to try to visit family, the house, and collect belongings.
Mr Henderson said any refugee absence policy would have to be "reflective of that reality and recognise that people do have to leave for short periods."
He said people have had to escape risk to their safety in Ukraine because there is war in the east, and throughout the country sporadic attacks, ongoing drone attacks, rocket fire, and the infrastructure is badly damaged.
He said the IRC does not expect the Department of Integration to guarantee keeping refugee accommodation for Ukrainians open for "long periods of time" and the Council advises people of that when they call its helpline.
He said the Department has done "huge work" in generating bed space but the current model of reliance on emergency accommodation is "getting close to being unsustainable."
Irish Red Cross to issue appeal to public
The Irish Red Cross has said it will be issuing a further appeal to the public next month to offer accommodation to those fleeing Ukraine.
The organisation reports that more than 11,000 people have been housed in 4,600 properties since the conflict in Ukraine began in February 2022. This is made up of both shared and vacant accommodation.
The Irish Red Cross also said it has found accommodation for 600 people in the last six weeks, with 99 people getting accommodation in the past week.
Local authorities have taken in a further 5,000 Ukrainians in 1,800 properties during this time.
The IRC said the Peter McVerry Trust and the International Organisation for Migration have also been involved in sourcing accommodation for Ukrainians arriving here.
A spokesperson for the IRC said they will be announcing another call out for accommodation pledges, along with their accommodation partners, in the middle of November.
Meanwhile, Green Party TD Brian Leddin said the Government has to be "pragmatic" about the situation regarding State accommodation being provided to Ukrainian refugees.
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Colm Ó Mongáin, Mr Leddin warned that an "unmanaged collapse" of the system could result due to more than 800 Ukrainians arriving here weekly.
"That is not appropriate at all," he said.
"It is about addressing secondary movements," he said, and sending a signal to Ukrainians in other member states to say "we are at maximum capacity".
Speaking on the same programme, Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore accused the Government of "never moving" from a short-term emergency response to a medium-long-term plan.
She said: "As a result now this crisis is upon us."
