Communities that have taken in Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers will share in a €50m 'solidarity fund' next year.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the fund is aimed at recognising that "some communities around the country have been asked and have welcomed large numbers of people, not just from Ukraine but also people applying for international protection". The fund will be administered by the Department of Social Protection via local authorities.
The Taoiseach said the fund is a recognition to communities that an influx of large numbers of new arrivals does create challenges that need to be overcome.
"It's designed to say to those communities that we do know that more people and new people coming into your community does create pressures. And we want to set aside a fund that can help those communities, not just for the benefit of the new arrivals but for the wider community", he said.
Mr Varadkar said certain parts of the country had seen a "big increase in population", such as Dublin's north inner city and parts of counties Donegal, Kerry, and Clare, and that it was important to reward these communities.
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"We expect Minister Humphreys to bring that memo to Cabinet in the early new year," he added.
