John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I can state categorically that refugee resettlement programme participants are entitled to 20 hours of provision weekly in the first year of resettlement. ETBs can subsequently offer more than 20 hours per week, but we have found that 20 hours a week is too much for many refugees as they are settling into their homes, have children who are in school and their environment and community are all new to them. Therefore, it is not always the case that they can attend for up to 20 hours, but there is that provision under the refugee resettlement programme. Some ETBs are allowed to use what is called a banking system under which those who are capable of attending for 20 hours a week are offered those hours, but for those whose language skills are particularly weak or where there are problems with literacy, a slower approach may be taken. It is at the discretion of ETBs to offer more hours and having spoken to SOLAS and some of the ETBs, I know that they do this.

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