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Ms McDonald suggested to the Irish Daily Mail in a Christmas interview that Ukrainians who are not working “critical” jobs should not be automatically allowed to stay in Ireland.
She was asked what should happen to Ukrainians who are not working in Ireland when the EU Temporary Protection directive expires in 2025.
She said: “You have to differentiate between who wishes to go home and those who wish to stay”.
The EU’s temporary protection directive, which expires in March 2025, allows Ukrainians to avail of social welfare and housing in EU countries.
However, her party’s spokesperson on foreign affairs Matt Carthy said Sinn Féin is not suggesting for Ukrainians to be sent back while the war is ongoing.
“We’re not suggesting that we would forcibly return people to a conflict zone,” he said.
Deputy Carthy said Ukrainian refugees who stay here after the war is over should enter the direct provision system.
“The temporary measures are up next March and there will be a review at a European level. That review needs to take into account how you deal with future refugees that come from Ukraine but also in terms of those people, my guess is, post the temporary measures expiring, what we will still have is that the international protection system will still be in place.”
“That will mean that any Ukrainian who is in Ireland or coming to Ireland, will be entitled to claim international protection, same as other people coming from other parts of the world.”
“What we’re talking about is, in a post-war situation, in a post-conflict situation, as is the case in all of these instances, then people will apply either for residency or not. In many cases, their application will be very easy if they’re in frontline employment.
“If the conflict is resolved, then of course we will hope that people will return to either Ukraine or elsewhere, if that’s where they’ve come [from].”
Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin said the Government has no long-term plan on housing migrants, including the use of commercially renovated buildings, vacant buildings and modular housing.
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