Westmeath Ukrainian hosting payments up 20% since 2024

The number of properties in Westmeath receiving a monthly payment for accommodating people who fled the war in Ukraine has fallen by 48 since the end of 2025, according to figures supplied to the Dáil.

A total of 680 properties in the county were receiving the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) on October 11, compared with 728 at the end of December 2025, a decrease of 6.6%.

The latest figure is significantly higher than the 567 properties in receipt of the payment at the end of 2024, representing an increase of almost 20% over the period.

The figures were provided by Minister of State Colm Brophy in response to a question from Deputy Joe Cooney, who sought a county-by-county breakdown of payments in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

Westmeath’s total of 680 properties places it 13th among the 26 counties in the latest figures. Offaly had 500 properties receiving the payment on October 11, down from 515 at the end of 2025, and Longford had 387, compared with 405 last December.

Nationally, the number of properties receiving the payment fell from 23,341 at the end of 2025 to 21,463 on October 11 this year, a reduction of 1,878, or just over 8%.

The latest national total is higher than the 18,611 properties receiving the payment at the end of 2024.

Dublin had the largest number of properties in receipt of ARP in the latest figures, at 2,962, followed by Donegal with 2,043 and Cork with 1,676.

The Accommodation Recognition Payment is a tax-free monthly contribution of €400 paid to eligible property owners who provide accommodation on a humanitarian basis to people who arrived in Ireland under the EU Temporary Protection Directive.

The payment is made per eligible property, regardless of whether the accommodation is provided for the exclusive use of the beneficiary or shared with the host.

Mr Brophy said it was not possible to provide a breakdown of properties offered for exclusive use and those shared with hosts, as that information was not collected as part of the application process.

Changes to the scheme eligibility criteria took effect on March 3, 2026.

Under the revised rules, new applications are not accepted for properties registered with the Residential Tenancies Board at any time since March 4, 2022.

Applicants must also own the property concerned, meaning tenants in rental properties can no longer make new applications.

The scheme is administered by the Department of Social Protection on behalf of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.