Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2024
605. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which he continues to promote integration in all circumstances throughout Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19481/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland is becoming ever more diverse and ongoing efforts are required across Government to ensure that Ireland is an equitable and inclusive place for all. The Programme for Government is committed to developing a successor to the Migrant Integration Strategy, which concluded in 2021. Currently work is underway to develop a new national strategy, which will address ongoing and emerging needs in both supporting and promoting integration in Ireland. A consultation to inform the development of the strategy concluded in November 2023. The aim was to gain insights into the migrant experience in Ireland and better understand the challenges, needs and opportunities for supporting integration in the future.
A new Local Integration Model has been developed in collaboration with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA). The model centres on a new national network of Local Authority Integration Teams (LAITs) to be located in each Local Authority. These teams will provide on-going support to IP applicants, programme refugees and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) to better enable them to engage with existing services and ultimately to live independently in the community. The role will also include providing information, advice and guidance to individuals and identifying gaps in supports or services.
The Community Integration Fora (CIF) in each Local Authority play a crucial role in proactively co-ordinating and providing collaboration across mainstream services, NGO, community and voluntary organisations, at a local level. The operation of the CIF involves the delivery of a range of amenities in each local authority area to ensure persons arriving from Ukraine settle into the community through access to both State provided and local services. Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection receive information and support in many areas including healthcare, social protection, employment supports and assistance, integration advice, language education, signposting to independent accommodation options and supports into the wider community.
Irish Refugee Resettlement Programme
Since its establishment in 2015, the Department’s Irish Refugee Resettlement Programme (IRPP), has worked with Local Authorities to accommodate and provide integration support to approximately 4,100 programme refugees resettled across Ireland. This work includes developing resettlement projects with Local Authorities, funded through EU and national grant agreements, to provide for integration supports to programme refugees, the majority of whom have come from Syria and Afghanistan.
These Local Authority projects provide a number of measures which seek to ensure programme refugee families settle into their communities and have access to all the necessary services and supports to successfully integrate into Irish society. This includes the employment of dedicated Resettlement Support Workers and Intercultural Workers and the establishment an Interagency Working Groups (IAWG), which bring together local and national services and stakeholders to oversee preparation and integration for programme refugee arrivals.
The Community Sponsorship Ireland (CSI) Programme is a complementary programme to the IRPP’s general resettlement programme. Under this programme, IRPP beneficiaries are resettled directly into communities around Ireland with integration supports provided by a Community Sponsorship Group established specifically for this purpose.
Funding Programmes
Several funding programmes have been made available in order to support integration in Ireland.
The National Integration Fund (NIF) has the goal of supporting communities across Ireland to play a greater role in promoting the integration of migrants, and is open to organisations operating at regional and national level. The minimum annual grant amount that can be applied for is €25,000, and grants may range up to €200,000 over the lifetime of the project.
The Communities Integration Fund (CIF) has been in place since 2017 and arises from Action 51 of the Migrant Integration Strategy. Annually, grant funding of €1,000 to €5,000 is made available for local integration initiatives. Since its inception, the CIF has supported over 820 projects, with grant funding totalling €3.82 million.
The International Protection Integration Fund (IPIF) is intended to support communities across Ireland so that they can play a greater role in promoting the integration of IP applicants. There are two funding schemes available to applicants, grants ranging from €30,000 to €100,000 are made available under Scheme A to support large scale integration projects and grants ranging for €2,000 to €10,000 are made available under Scheme B to support smaller integration initiatives
Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF): DCEDIY is the Managing Authority of the AMIF Programme in Ireland, for the 2021-2027 National Programme and the 2014-2020 National Programme. Under Ireland’s national programmes, it is intended to provide a range of supports for IP applicants, Programme Refugees, BOTPs and other third country nationals arriving in Ireland.
DCEDIY also manages the Integration and Employment of Migrants stream of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) EIST 2021-2027 Programme. This Activity is aimed at legally resident migrants who are experiencing barriers to participation and employment because of language difficulties, lack of training or social exclusion.
