Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Tralee refugee support services was allocated funding of €160,420 from the European Refugee Fund, amounting to 50% of a total project cost of €320,840, which was programmed for payment over the years 2006 and 2007.

The purpose of the European Refugee Fund is to support and encourage the efforts made by member states in receiving and bearing the consequences of receiving refugees and displaced persons by providing financing for measures relating to the conditions for reception and asylum procedures and the integration of persons whose stay is of a lasting and-or stable nature. The fund is a co-funding instrument, that is, applicants may apply for funding of up to 50% maximum of the total cost required for completion of a project. Applicants must be able to secure the balance of funding from matching funders, that is, other sources.

Support under the European Refugee Fund is linked to the specific purposes of the fund and the purpose of grants awarded under it is not to fund the ongoing operation of an organisation but rather to provide a level of co-financing to that organisation to undertake specific actions particular to this fund. Moneys from the European Refugee Fund are issued each year in a series of payments, subject to the application of the various detailed and complex rules of eligibility of expenditure issued by the European Commission.

On examination of the financial returns submitted in respect of 2006, Tralee refugee support services was found to be entitled to a reduced overall allocation of €61,890.78, of which the final instalment of €6,083 was paid to the group at the end of April this year. Any discrepancy between the grant awarded and the payments made from the fund arise due to the verification process required by the fund. Tralee refugee support services has also been paid a total of €64,168 in respect of 2007 in two instalments of €40,105 and €24,063 in March and October 2007, respectively. A final payment may be due when all the necessary documentation has been forwarded to my Department.

These payments are subject to verification and may be amended when the financial returns for 2007 are examined. Such an amendment may occur if the expenditure concerned does not comply with the various rules of eligibility of expenditure issued by the European Commission. The group concerned has not yet submitted final documentation in respect of expenditure for 2007. It has been engaged in ongoing discussions with officials of my Department who have visited this group on a number of occasions to assist it in the preparation of the necessary documentation. My office also extended the deadline for receipt of such documents to the close of business on 9 May 2008. I understand Tralee refugee support services has been in touch by telephone with my officials and has undertaken to forward all outstanding documentation early this week.

I am supportive of the role of voluntary bodies in providing services to refugees and asylum seekers. The relevant European Commission rules concerning the administration of the European Refugee Fund are applied to the maximum possible benefit of such organisations.

With regard to future funding from the European Refugee Fund and the European Fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals, known as the European Integration Fund for short, which commenced this year, the position is that Pobal, on behalf of my office, sought applications for proposals for funding from the voluntary-NGO sector and partnership companies under each of these funds. The closing date for receipt of applications for funding was 25 January 2008.

Pobal has recently notified the various applicant bodies as to whether they have been successful in their applications. I understand in this regard that Tralee refugee support services was not successful in its applications to either fund. It is open to the group to appeal these decisions to Pobal and its appeals will be dealt with independently by different officials within that organisation.

It is likely there will be further calls for proposals in respect of these funds, which will be advertised later this year. This will allow Tralee refugee support services and other unsuccessful groups an opportunity to re-evaluate their proposals before submitting new applications.

I draw the attention of this House to the recent statement on integration strategy and diversity management entitled "Migration Nation" published by my office recently. This statement sets out my policy strategy over the next number of years and my commitment to achieving the provision of adequate funding streams for integration projects. In this regard, the new integration policy focuses on the role of local communities, local authorities, sporting bodies, faith-based groups and political parties in building integrated communities from the ground up.

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