There are roughly 4,500 empty beds free for either Ukrainian nationals or asylum seekers at present, but they cannot be offered to more than 500 male applicants sleeping on the streets, an Oireachtas committee has heard. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) heard that there are about 53,000 beds available in the system at the moment. The committee heard that expenditure on the provision of accommodation for Ukrainian nationals has fallen by more than 50% since 2024. Ms McPhillips told the committee that the figure has now fallen to a budget of just €607m for 2026. That scheme is set to expire at the end of this coming March, the committee heard, though a further extension may be approved by the justice minister.

Source: Irish Examiner February 20, 2026 00:14 UTC