Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Tralee Refugee Support Services has been working with asylum seekers and refugees since 2001 when the drop-in centre was first established. The need for the drop-in centre was identified through research into the needs of asylum seekers carried out by Partnership Tralee in early 2001.

There are three direct provision accommodation centres in Tralee which are home to almost 300 asylum seekers. One third of this number is made up of families, two thirds are men, often referred to in the system as "single males", whereas in fact the majority have spouses and children in their home countries.

Asylum seekers have been living in Tralee for the past eight years and inevitably some have secured refugee status. There are no official statistics of the number of refugees in Tralee as the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform does not track people once they secure refugee status. However, because Tralee Refugee Support services has worked continuously with asylum seekers for the past seven years, based on its knowledge it estimates that there are about 70 refugee families living in Tralee. The centre also supports and provides services to those previously in the asylum system who got residency under the Irish born child scheme in 2005. There are about 70 to 80 families with IBC residency in Tralee. As the only immigrant support organisation in Tralee, the centre also provides services and support to migrant workers from both EU and non-EU countries.

In addition to three part-time and one full-time paid staff members, the centre also has at any one time a core of about 15 volunteers who assist on an ongoing basis with different aspects of the work the centre carries out. This is in addition to the eight management committee members. The centre also has occasional volunteers who help with events or specific projects.

Among its daily activities the centre provides an integrated information, advocacy and support service to asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants primarily in the greater Tralee area, but with referrals also being received from west and north Kerry. In 2007 alone it provided almost 5,000 one-to-one supports for 1,000 asylum seekers, refugees and other immigrants. This number has increased every year since the centre opened in 2001. In 2007, it had 69 different nationalities accessing the centre representing countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.

Tralee Refugee Support Services operates a drop-in centre as a resource for asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants in the greater Tralee area. Education and training, particularly in English language, literacy and computer skills is a key resource it offers asylum seekers and refugees. It does so in co-operation with the Kerry education service and the education officer of Partnership Tralee. In 2007, it provided training in English, literacy and computers for 150 asylum seekers and refugees. With funding from the HSE south region, the centre operates a family support service for up to 30 asylum seeker families in the Johnston Marina direct provision accommodation centre. It continues to support families when they secure refugee status and helps with the transition from the asylum system to residency in the local community.

Some of the local and regional agencies with which the centre works closely include the HSE south region fostering, community work and social work departments, the local GP practice nurses association, Tralee citizen information service and Tralee homeless information centre.

The Tralee refugee support services centre has submitted its applications to the European Refugee Fund, ERF, and European Fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals, EIF, in partnership with the Garda Síochána in the town. It has developed a strong working relationship with the Garda, which has been of mutual benefit to the immigrant community and Garda. The centre had hoped funding under the ERF and EIF would have enabled it to develop this work as a unique and innovative project with potential to be replicated nationally.

The Tralee refugee support service supports more than 1,000 immigrants annually, including asylum seekers, refugees, Irish-born child residents and migrant workers. Given that these vulnerable immigrants and their needs will not disappear, how will their needs be met if the centre is forced to close? The service has more than proved its worth over the past seven years, both with client groups and other local and national voluntary and statutory organisations. It now faces closure from next week after seven years unless the Minister intervenes.

I understand EIF funding was not provided to any project in the south west region. Why is this the case? The total amount of grants made available under the ERF and EIF does not appear to add up to the total amount allocated. Are there moneys outstanding? Is more money available from Europe? I welcome the Minister of State and I am pleased he has come to the House to respond to the issue I raise.

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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.