Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to accept the following measure: Regulation (EU) 2021/1147 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, a copy of which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 31st January, 2022.

Today, I am seeking the approval of the House to proceed with the formal opt-in to the new round of the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, AMIF. Under the AMIF, the EU provides financial support for a comprehensive approach to the management of migration in the European Union. As Deputies will be aware, Ireland is required to formally opt in to certain EU home affairs instruments under arrangements in place for non-Schengen member states. This includes the new 2021-2027 AMIF programme.

The opt-in process requires both Government and Oireachtas approval. I obtained Government approval at the Government meeting last week and this motion is being moved in both Houses of the Oireachtas today. The Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund is an important means of supporting some of our most vulnerable migrant communities, including refugees and asylum seekers. It is exclusively targeted at non-EU nationals. The funding is used both by my Department and the Department of Justice to finance a wide range of asylum, migration and integration programmes.

The fund was adopted by EU member states in 2021. Its overall policy objective at the EU level is to contribute to the efficient management of migration flows and to the implementation, strengthening and development of the EU common policy on asylum and the common immigration policy. Within this overall objective, the fund is intended to contribute to the following specific objectives: strengthening and developing all aspects of the common European asylum system, including its external dimensions; strengthening and developing legal migration to the member states in accordance with their economic and social needs, and promoting and contributing to the effective integration and social inclusion of third-country nationals; contributing to countering irregular migration, enhancing effective, safe and dignified return and readmission, and promoting and contributing to effective initial reintegration in third countries; and enhancing solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility between the member states, in particular as regards those most affected by migration and asylum challenges, including through practical co-operation.

Under the framework of these objectives, each member state develops its own national programme setting out how it intends to use the fund at the national level in support of these objectives. Ireland opted into the previous Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, which ran from 2014 to 2020, and to the two funds that preceded it, namely, the European Integration Fund and the European Refugee Fund. Ireland's likely allocation under the new fund will be determined when the opt-in process is completed. Under the previous AMIF, the State was allocated some €55.5 million across the areas of asylum, integration and return.

Since 2016, my Department and previously the Department of Justice and Equality have used AMIF funding to support NGO-Ied migrant integration programmes, aspects of the Irish refugee protection programme, IRPP, and the returns programme operated by the Department of Justice for international protection applicants whose claims have not been successful, or who choose to return to their home country.

The AMIF is distributed by my Department in a number of ways in order to help Ireland meet its objectives under an agreed national programme. Specifically, my Department administers open calls for proposals and provides grant funding to successful applicants, typically NGOs working in the area of migrant integration; provides direct awards to certain bodies that have unique ability to perform specific measures; and provides funds to assist the return of third-country nationals to their country of origin, on both a voluntary and involuntary basis, under a returns programme operated by the Department of Justice. Under the open call process, organisations can submit proposals for programmes and projects to address the asylum and integration objectives of the national programme.

The first open call process under the previous AMIF took place in 2016 and following an assessment process 20 projects nationwide were awarded grants totalling €4.5 million. A second open call process was run in 2019 where a further €4.5 million was distributed to 19 successful organisations. Subject to completion of the opt-in to the 2021-2027 AMIF programme, it is intended that my Department will run another open call for proposals later in 2022, once a national programme for the new fund has been developed.

The range of projects funded under AMIF is broad. For example, under the open calls process for AMIF 2014-2020, Gaisce was funded to provide an opportunity for young asylum seekers, refugees and third country nationals to achieve a Gaisce award by improving personal and physical skills and undertaking community involvement, team challenges and an "adventure journey". There are many benefits for this group in completing Gaisce awards, including improved confidence and well-being, and positive mental health and social inclusion, which are especially important given the difficult circumstances these young people may have encountered.

Another type of project funded under AMIF is run by Spirasi, which works to ensure that victims of torture receive the supports they need to support healing and recovery. They are offered educational and psychosocial supports to enable their integration into normal life after traumatic episodes of torture. These are just a small sample representative of the many worthwhile projects funded under the 2014-2020 programme.

Under the 2014-2020 programme, three direct awards totalling €3.9 million have been granted to the Irish refugee protection programme, which is operated by my Department to resettlement work. The funding has supported selection missions to Lebanon, transport for beneficiaries and the integration of beneficiaries here in Ireland. In 2019, the HSE received a direct award of €990,000 to fund the Safetynet project. This is a mobile health screening service which visits direct provision centres to provide medical screening to asylum seekers.

Under AMIF rules, my Department has also availed of a technical assistance budget of €2.56 million from Ireland's allocation. This supports the funds administration unit in my Department to effectively administer the AMIF funds in Ireland. Technical assistance will also be available under the new fund.

Each participating member state must produce a national programme setting out its objectives and plans for how the funding will be deployed.

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National programmes are normally drafted following consultation with relevant interests in the State, including NGOs, as well as with the European Commission, which is responsible for overseeing the fund's administration. Subject to approval for the opt-in, my Department will lead the development of a national programme for Ireland for the next set of funding. This new national programme will cover the main areas of the fund, namely asylum; legal migration; integration; resettlement; countering irregular migration; returns; and solidarity measures.

In developing the new national programme, my Department will consult with stakeholders in the areas of asylum, migration and integration, including relevant NGOs and Departments, to include the Department of Justice, which will continue to manage funded activities in the areas of migration and return. Members will all be aware of the extensive work under way in my Department to implement the White Paper to end direct provision, which I published almost one year ago. This is a priority area for the Government as we seek to replace the direct provision system with a new model that is better able to support the independence, autonomy and right to family life of asylum seekers.

Respect for human rights, early integration, and partnership with the not-for-profit sector are essential principles of the new model we are now putting in place. Work is progressing well in my Department and across the Government to implement the policy changes set out in the White Paper. While there remains much preparatory work to be done, at our current rate of progress we anticipate that the first moves from direct provision centres into the new independent accommodation provided under the new model will commence later this year. In developing the new programme AMIF, we will ensure it provides opportunities for AMIF funding to support these reforms. Subject to Oireachtas approval of the opt-in, the relevant EU bodies will be informed and work on the national programme can begin. I commend the motion to the House and seek Members' support.

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