Ukrainian woman and husband lose Supreme Court welfare appeal

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The unnamed Ukrainian woman and her husband lost their constitutional challenge to the welfare-benefit law at the Supreme Court on 13 October 2026. The couple lost disability and carer’s allowances after their Dublin hotel became designated accommodation.

The seven-judge court unanimously dismissed their appeal, rejecting the argument that excluding temporary protection applicants in designated accommodation from social welfare benefits breached the Constitution’s equality guarantee. The law provides an exception for supplementary welfare allowance.

The court said their claim failed to account for the different legal status of temporary protection recipients and other protection applicants, and for the value of the full-board accommodation provided. It also said the couple had not identified comparable recipients treated more favourably.

The judgment noted their particular vulnerability and said they remain entitled to suitable housing or the means to obtain housing and other assistance for special needs if they lack sufficient resources.