Dr. Fergal Lynch:

In regard to local authorities, we will be funding them for integration. They will become involved in co-ordinating local provision of such things as health services, education and social services. One of the important elements that we want to put in place, and which is already in place in some areas, is that of inter-agency working groups which will be chaired by local authorities. They will include the education and training boards, the HSE, An Garda Síochána and others at local level. We will have an inter-agency group that meets the needs of individuals at local level and that operates at local level. The local authorities will play a particularly important role in regard to that.

The Deputy asked about NGOs. They will be existing NGOs. We are not particularly proposing the establishment of a further NGO for these purposes. We have a very good working relationship with a number of NGOs which do very important work, including the Peter McVerry Trust, Depaul and others which provide very important services, understand the system on the ground very well and have provided very strong and important supports for people in the direct provision system. We hope to be able to build on that.

In regard to the community integration fund, there is a fund of €500,000 available for next year. We are working on the criteria for that at the moment. We hope to have that in place early in 2022. These are important components of local delivery and we would stress the importance of locally based delivery and meeting people's needs at local level, while having an important co-ordination function at national level to ensure that everybody's experience is broadly the same and positive. We will lay a good deal of emphasis on trying to do things at local level.