Migration Minister Jim O'Callaghan revealed that 470 homes in Leitrim, 405 in Longford and 131 in Roscommon were availing of the scheme.
Drumshanbo councillor Enda McGloin told the Leitrim Observer said that there were many availing of the scheme in the town. "A lot of the residents of the hotel at the time went and sought properties to live in the area because they had been here over a year and had got employment locally so they wanted to continue living in Drumshanbo. They availed of the help and assistance of the McManus family in finding properties to rent and have settled here in houses under that scheme. Many of their children were attending schools at both secondary and primary level as well as obtaining employment locally at the local food hub and some of the local shops."
He continued: "They are working in the community and able to avail of that scheme in terms of the rental scheme. The scheme will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. It originally involved a payment of €800 and that was reduced to €600 and government will be monitoring the war and outcome of talks between Russia and Ukraine. If that was to change in the morning and there was some kind of permanent ceasefire or settlement than the scheme will be reviewed. As it stands at the moment, because of the ongoing turmoil and war, I would hope that scheme would continue while those people cannot go back to parts of Ukraine that are particularly under threat from Russian artillery."
He concluded: "Most of the people living here and working and getting sustainable employment and seem to be settling in."
