budget 2024

Department of Integration to receive €1bn budget bailout

Money will be used to manage large volume of Ukrainian refugees arriving into Ireland

Paschal Donohoe, the Minister for Public Expenditure (left) and Roderic O’Gorman, the Minister for Integration (right). Picture: Bryan Meade

The government has signed off on a €1 billion bailout for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, due to higher than expected spending on refugees.

The bailout is to be paid for out of a €2 billion contingency fund provided for under “non-core” or temporary spending in last year’s budget, which is being used by Roderic O’Gorman, the Minister for Integration, to manage the large numbers of Ukrainian refugees that have arrived ...