Ukraine Civil Society Forum issues statement on International Migrants Day
The Ukraine Civil Society Forum, a collective of 121 organisations and groups across Ireland working in support of Ukrainian refugees, today on International Migrants Day, calls on the Government to reverse its damaging and counterproductive tone and actions in the areas of migration and integration in Ireland.
On International Migrants Day the Ukraine Civil Society Forum (UCSF) takes the opportunity to thank the Ukrainian community, all who support them, and all migrant communities for their contribution to Irish society, the economy, and the ongoing development of Ireland as a prosperous, peaceful, and diverse nation. The Forum drew attention to the reality of migration in Ireland, a reality of positive integration, high employment, cultural diversity and a shared future. This, the UCSF said, is in stark contrast with recent government actions and narratives on migration.
National Coordinator, Brian Killoran stated:
‘Of late, we have seen a perfect storm emerge for refugee and migrant communities in Ireland, Ukrainians and others alike. They have seen arson attacks, intimidating protests, violent assaults. When they turn to the media they see the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration state that they represent a potential threat to social cohesion. They have seen their rights diminished and integration milestones such as citizenship acquisition either made more difficult to attain or, in the case of Ukrainians on Temporary Protection status, denied entirely. This trend is incredibly damaging to Ireland overall, and deeply disenfranchising for migrant communities. This environment, in fact, represents a greater threat to social cohesion in Ireland than any refugee or migrant ever will.’
The Forum urged the Minister and government to reverse this trend and narrative, engage and communicate positively with communities across Ireland on this topic, and to forge our own path as a country, not succumbing to a trend seen internationally which seeks to vilify and denigrate migrants. In the particular circumstances of Ukrainian refugees, the UCSF urged Minister O’Callaghan and his officials to prioritize in 2026:
- The launching of a formal process, by mid-2026 at latest, whereby those from Ukraine who desire to remain in Ireland or need to remain in Ireland can achieve a residency status other than Temporary Protection which allows them to continue to integrate in Ireland and achieve self-sufficiency.
- Reversing the stated intention to make time spent on temporary protection status ineligible for Irish citizenship. Citizenship acquisition is one of the most important milestones in an individual's integration journey, and should be supported rather than denied.
- Reversing the policy decision of November 2025 to reduce the state provision of accommodation from 90 days to 30 days. This limited timeframe is unworkable, and risks increasing homelessness among that community and possible increased applications for International Protection.
- Allowing Ukrainians to access support payments such as the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) to support their transition from state supported accommodation
- Renewing, unaltered, the Accommodation Recognition Payment which supports the temporary accommodation of over 41,000 Ukrainian refugees to March 2027, in line with Temporary Protection Status.
In summary, Brian Killoran stated:
‘Ireland continues to operate in a vacuum of policy orientation linked to the ongoing lack of a national strategy on migration and integration. This must be addressed by the government as an urgent priority in early 2026. In the interim, we cannot give in to the cynical temptation to follow other countries in a race to the bottom when it comes to our values and policies on migration. As stated by IBEC’s Danny McCoy in his recent Op-Ed, Ireland needs migration, both for our economy and society. It is a success story for Ireland, and our national response to the sudden needs of tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees has been nothing short of remarkable. Those Ukrainian refugees are returning this kindness with their exemplary efforts to integrate – over 28,000 are in active employment and that number continues to grow month on month. We should be supporting this process with our policy decisions as a country, not making their journey more difficult. We urge a root and branch rethink of the damaging trends in this area we witnessed in 2025.’