Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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My plans for next year also include the establishment of a ministerial council for integration. This will be solely representative of immigrants and will allow ongoing input by immigrants into policy issues.

The third structure I intend to establish is an ongoing commission on integration. This will include a broad representation of stakeholders to reflect the groupings and interests emerging from the work of the task force. The commission will advise me on all aspects of the development of policy in the integration area. It will be a standing commission designed to be a focal point not only for me and the Department but also for the sector developing around integration issues and themes.

An ongoing range of strategic studies will also help inform policy development in the integration area. In particular, the Government is aware of the crucial role of the English language for all legally resident migrants and we have commissioned a study to examine this area. I will refer further to this.

In addition, a study has been carried out on appropriate funding mechanisms for ethnic minority organisations. The report was commissioned under the national action plan against racism, NPAR, and my officials and I are examining it. A study on interpretation and translation services is also under way.

With regard to initiatives in the Garda Síochána, more than 450 ethnic liaison officers have been appointed throughout Ireland. In addition, intercultural consultative forums between the Garda and members of minority communities are organised locally and nationally. The Garda is also actively recruiting people from minority communities.

The development of a national intercultural health strategy was supported under NPAR. This strategy is due to be launched in February 2008. It will provide a framework through which staff and service users may be supported to participate actively and meaningfully in designing, delivering and evaluating provision of health care to minority ethnic service users in Ireland. An important objective of the strategy is the reduction of social exclusion experienced by many in this group enhancing their access to health services and in the longer term, promoting positive health outcomes and social gain.

The action plan highlights that it can only succeed if local communities are active players in delivery of its objectives. To this end, local anti-racism diversity plans are a central plank of the strategy's recommendations. The purpose of the anti-racism diversity plans is to foster a co-ordinated approach at local city and county strategy level consistent with the aims and objectives of the national action plan against racism. My office will expand on this initiative and will work towards assisting local authorities to develop integration plans.

Under NPAR, research has been commissioned into the adequacy of Ireland's legislation on racially motivated crime. This research is to be published in early 2008. NPAR also supports research on housing policy arising from increased cultural diversity in Ireland. The research will scope key issues arising in public and private housing and the implications for planning future housing policy and estate management. The research will be targeted at specific local authority areas.

Funding has been provided to sports clubs and societies to address issues of racism. The aim of these grants is to enable organisations to raise awareness about racism and to highlight cultural diversity in Ireland. Historically, sport has in some instances been a breeding ground for religious and cultural divisions. In reverse, it can provide the solution by virtue of its wide and powerful appeal. Recognising the potential to use this power to influence a wide audience, the FAI has developed an intercultural strategy, appointed an intercultural officer and brought anti-racist and integration messages directly into the sporting spotlight.

NPAR also supports diversity management initiatives in the corporate sector. It is important that Irish businesses develop long-term strategies for integration of their diverse workforces. Research to promote the business case for diversity has also been commissioned. It is anticipated that this research will be concluded in the latter half of 2008. We expect that it will identify good practice and that the learning from this research can be transferred to the workplace through publications, events and training.

Senators may be aware that a cross-departmental group was established by the Government in February 2007 to carry out a review of existing integration policy and to provide an initial assessment of future policy options. The group was chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach. The review was completed in May 2007, prior to my appointment. A policy framework document was submitted, which we hope to publish shortly. I also intend to take over the chairing of this cross-departmental group to ensure that a high level of co-ordination exists across those Departments which provide integration services.

From a strategic point of view, Ireland adopts a mainstreaming approach to integration whereby statutory service providers take full responsibility for delivering services to a new Irish society within which newcomers and Irish are simply constituent parts. Recognising that minority groups have needs which cannot always be addressed within the existing mainstream framework, the State also provides funding for targeted initiatives.

Funding aimed at migrants has been included in the 2008 Estimates for a number of Departments. In addition, my office has been allocated a budget of more than €9 million for next year. This will provide strategic seed funding for a number of initiatives which will greatly facilitate the economic, social and political integration of new immigrants into Irish society. I plan to develop new funding streams to help create and mobilise existing and emerging institutions such as faith groups, trade unions, employers and large membership groups including political parties.

Within the Department of Education and Science, my brief is to ensure that the range of education policies across different areas of the Department and the bodies under its aegis take account of the need to integrate immigrants and their families, and also to co-ordinate the work of the Department of Education and Science on the integration of newcomers with the related work of other relevant Departments and agencies. To assist me with the education portion of my brief, the Department of Education and Science has established an integration unit which will co-ordinate planning and strategy with regard to newcomer issues.

In the 2006 to 2007 school year, we had approximately 340,000 pupils in our post-primary schools. Of these, 17,000 were newcomer pupils from more than 160 nations. The top ten counties of origin included the UK, Poland, Nigeria, Lithuania, the USA, Spain, Germany, Philippines, Latvia and South Africa. More than 446,000 pupils attend primary schools and it is estimated that approximately 31,000 of these are newcomer pupils.

Within primary and post-primary education, the key requirement for the integration of young students for whom English is a second language is the provision of language support teachers. More than 1,900 language support teacher posts are allocated to primary and post-primary schools compared to 260 in the school year 2001-02. Some schools with more than 121 students for whom English is their second language have up to six language support teachers. This will cost more than €120 million in 2007 and 2008.

Many resources have been prepared for the teachers and the schools. On Monday, I was delighted to launch a toolkit for diversity in primary schools, Together Towards Inclusion, with the Minister for Education in Northern Ireland, Caitríona Ruane. In the new year, language assessment packs will be provided to primary schools to assist teachers in determining the language proficiency of pupils at the initial stage and also for on-going assessment.

Other key resources include the intercultural guidelines prepared by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment for primary schools and also for post-primary schools. Integrate Ireland Language and Training has also prepared resource materials for primary and post-primary schools as well as provided a programme of support for English language teachers to assist them in meeting the English language needs of their pupils.

On arrival in Ireland many parents may not speak or read English and are unfamiliar with the Irish education system. To assist these parents and others, information on the education system has been placed on the Department's website in six languages, including Polish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian, Spanish and German. In addition, a newcomers' area has been developed on the website to provide relevant educational material in different languages.

A DVD on the primary school curriculum has been also produced by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, for parents in English, Irish, French, Polish and Lithuanian. Entitled, The What, Why and How of Children's Learning in Primary School, it is also available on broadband video.

The Economic and Social Research Institute has been commissioned by the Department of Education and Science to undertake a large-scale study into how an increasing diversity of students impacts upon resource requirements and day-to-day teaching and learning. The research is organised in two phases, the first involving a national survey of primary and post-primary school principals and the second involving detailed case studies of a sample of primary and post-primary schools. This will involve focus groups and an in-depth examination of the manner in which integration is taking place and the challenges posed in the classroom.

In 2008 the inspectorate of the Department of Education and Science will start to conduct an evaluation of the provision of English as an additional language in a number of schools and in 2009 it plans to publish an analysis of its findings as a composite national report. These reports will provide vital data which will inform future developments in the primary and post-primary schools.

More than 12,000 places are being taken up by migrants learning English in classes provided by the national network of 33 vocational education committees. Asylum seekers are entitled to attend the VEC English language classes for adults. As I indicated, the Department of Education and Science, in conjunction with the office for integration, has commissioned an independent review to assist in the development of a national English language training policy and framework for legally resident adult immigrants based on extensive stakeholder consultation. This study is due for completion in early 2008 and involves extensive consultation with stakeholders, including providers of English language training, that is, vocational education committees, third level institutions, private providers and NGOs. Vitally, it will also consider the views and attitudes of migrants, as individuals and through their many representative organisations. The recommendations of the review will help inform the development of a national English language training policy and framework for adult immigrants.

Most qualifications are now recognised on the ten level national framework of qualifications, which includes learning achieved at all levels from the most basic, level one, to the most advanced, level ten. The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland established Qualifications Recognition Ireland as a one-stop shop for inquiries regarding the recognition of awards from other countries, whether for purposes of employment or access and progression to further education and training. It is important to note that the information provided by Qualification Recognition Ireland is advisory in nature.

Considerable work has been done by the Department of Education and Science and its agencies. There is a commitment to take account of the needs of immigrant children and their families. Schools are seeking to create an inclusive, integrated environment in which, through a two-way process, all students will be welcome and experience a high quality education that will enable everyone to achieve his or her full potential, participate fully as members of our increasingly intercultural society and contribute to our social and economic development.

We have reached an exciting and challenging stage in developing an intercultural Ireland. We recognise the need to plan for the new diverse Ireland and ensure the voices of immigrants and the indigenous population inform the development of comprehensive integration policies for the future. We must all work together to cultivate a culture of respect and tolerance that celebrates difference and fosters creativity and self-reliance. A successful integration approach requires the contribution of all sectors of civic society, including the new communities, host communities, social partners and civic society organisations. The responsibility for successful integration falls on all of us, working together in partnership, to achieve a common goal.

After six months in my current portfolio, I believe we have an opportunity to get inward migration right. When one considers the position in our European Union neighbours and across the European Continent, it is clear that not one country has been a success in this area. We can and will get this right. Ireland has shown in the past decade that it can transform itself from a high emigration and high unemployment society to a country of full employment which cherishes all its citizens. It is possible to continue on this path with the newcomers who are coming to our shores.

Eugene Regan (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to outline his policies on this important subject. As with much of the business in the Chamber, Senators are making statements on a policy issue, as distinct from dealing with legislation. It would be preferable if we were to deal with legislation such as the immigration Bill, as it would allow us to focus on precisely what action is required in this area. While Senators can make statements on integration time and again, legislation must be in place if we are to move forward matters.

We all recognise that Ireland is a changed place from the country of 15, ten or even five years ago. We have gone from a country of net emigration, through a period of immigration chaos when the structures of public administration simply could not cope to a point at which the Government has finally appointed a Minister of State with responsibility for integration. This step, while it constitutes a welcome recognition of the importance of integrating new communities, does not, of itself, solve the problem.

The area of integration has been characterised by an absence of good planning, administration and foresight. The increasing volume of migrants did not occur overnight but has been evident in the past five to ten years. The current legislation relating to immigrants is weak. Applications for residency take too long. All Senators receive representations on this issue and the delay in assessing many applications currently stands at up to two years. It appears that making representations does not accelerate the process. The work permit system is unfair, while human trafficking legislation is inadequate, although the latter topic was addressed recently. Driver safety legislation, as it applies to non-Irish driving licence holders, is effectively useless. Moreover, our education system, to which the Minister of State alluded, has been placed under immense strain, not by the children of migrants but by the Government's failure to plan for the inevitable increase in numbers.

While not directly related to the work of the Minister of State, if ever there was an example of bad planning, it is in the area of human trafficking. We know the extent of this problem both globally and in Europe, specifically in the accession countries and other eastern European states where girls and women disappear and are trafficked abroad, including to this country. The practice of trafficking was highlighted by the tragic events in Wexford-Waterford in December 2001, which culminated in the death of eight people trapped inside a freight container.

To date, neither the Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking Act) 2000 nor the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 has ever resulted in a successful prosecution for the crime of trafficking, although individuals have been arrested and charged. The problem lies with the current legislative code which is not sufficiently strong to facilitate successful convictions. For this reason, the Fine Gael Party welcomed the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill as a positive step forward, as it will, for the first time, impose strict penalties on those involved in the recruitment, transportation and harbouring of people. However, as my colleague in the Dáil, Deputy Naughten, recently noted, a report by NUI Galway highlighted the case of a woman found by gardaí in a private brothel in Sligo who was brought to Mountjoy Prison, even though she was believed to have been trafficked. She was the only one criminalised in this situation. It is very important that the new Bill will ensure victims are not the only ones to be penalised.

On the issue of education, there are serious difficulties in the integration process. For that reason, the Fine Gael leader, Deputy Enda Kenny, earlier this year called for a national debate on immigration. The growth in multiculturalism within the education system comes at a time when the system is already under pressure, with significant expansion of pupil numbers forecast. The Minister of State referred to the figures on the number of non-nationals in post-primary education and it is estimated there are 31,000 non-national children in the primary school system alone.

As matters stand, there are many teachers, particularly in large urban centres, whose classes include significant numbers of children with language difficulties. The current system for allocating language support teachers is not serving the interests of these children. It provides that schools with 14 non-English-speaking pupils are awarded one language support post and those with 28 or more receive a second, but a third post can only be granted in exceptional circumstances. These rules take no account of the reality that many schools have far more than 28 non-English speaking pupils.

The system is not serving the interests of either our immigrants or our own population and needs to be changed. As a first step, the allocation of language support resources must be revamped so that schools with higher demands receive proportionate and appropriate support. A national audit must be carried out to find the true extent of this problem and to establish whether other measures, such as providing additional language support outside normal school hours, are needed and what additional teaching resources are required.

Tackling deficiencies in adult literacy is a key challenge for the education system in general. Ten years ago, it was estimated that over half a million Irish adults needed help but just 35,500 people have benefited from adult literacy programmes since then. There is evidence that over a quarter of those who have undertaken these courses were from non-English-speaking backgrounds and did so in order to improve their knowledge of English. These programmes were not designed as language classes and should be targeted at people with literacy problems rather than those with fluency problems. We need to develop dedicated English language classes for adult immigrants that are focussed on their needs.

On driver safety, we are aware of the efforts to improve safety on our roads and reduce the carnage that causes so much difficulty to so many families. One of the cornerstones in the battle to reduce road fatalities is the introduction and enforcement of the penalty points system. However, as migrants from other EU countries are not required to transfer their driving licences, penalty points cannot be applied to their licences. It is disturbing that 20% of the penalty points which should have resulted from offences detected by the Garda could not be applied, in many cases because of this loophole. It also means that the deterrent effect of the penalty points system is not applying to a proportion of the driving population.

This was recently highlighted by Mr. Petkus, a court translator from Lithuania, based in Mayo, who has appeared in the media in recent weeks on the issue. He pointed out that more and more foreign nationals are becoming involved in accidents on the roads of Ireland and, in most cases, they are not insured properly or their cars are not roadworthy. It is in the interest of our community that this issue is addressed.

I have only touched on some of the issues surrounding integration. I welcome the fact the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, has come to the House to debate the issue. I hope the debate will encourage him to address some of the specific issues highlighted. While he has pointed to many studies, task forces and action plans which have been drawn up, it is not readily apparent how an immigrant is being assisted when he lands on these shores. I would ask the Minister of State to respond on this issue when concluding the debate.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State to the House. As a people, we do not have a happy history of integration at home or abroad. In rural Ireland the divide between town and country now seems a curiosity of a bygone age. The blow-in is well known in rural Ireland and in many places one can still be a blow-in 50 years after moving into an area. Indeed, three generations on, a family may still be classed as blow-ins.

Abroad, as a race, we did not integrate into the United States or England for many generations, preferring to live in Cricklewood or South Boston, and to be among our own. Despite being the victims of racism in the United States, Britain and elsewhere, our record against other minorities in these countries is shameful, to say the least. The case of Eugene "Bull" Connor, notorious opponent of the black civil rights movement, who famously prevented the peaceful protest in Birmingham, Alabama, was a descendant of Irish emigrants. Racism by the Irish in the Five Points in New York on the proposed introduction of conscription during the American civil war led to a three-day riot by the Irish, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of African-Americans.

These examples of racism by the Irish abroad demonstrate that we need to redouble our efforts to ensure racism does not get a toehold in Ireland. We need to prevent ghettoisation in the sense of isolation from Irish society among the new Irish. Our experience abroad makes it easy for us to understand why the new Irish like to live together but living in the same area must not mean isolation. Our task as a Government is to get people of different languages to speak to each other.

We are lucky we can learn from the mistakes of others in Europe. We must avoid the problems of Germany, where, in the town of Marzhan, a population of 13,000 Russian migrants lives in a ghetto beset by drugs and violence. In Paris, isolation has now led to nearly annual riots among Algerian immigrants in Abbéville and, in Britain, the word "Brixton" and riots are nearly synonymous. These are events we want to avoid in our future, which is why the Government is acting now.

The appointment of a Minister of State responsible for integration is a timely move. His cross-departmental brief makes his task difficult but not impossible, and his capabilities are well known — his work in his previous post stands testament to that. However, with one in eight households now being new Irish, it is vital that the action plan against racism, Planning for Diversity, which is being implemented from 2005 to 2008, is implemented. The other initiatives announced by the Minister of State show the Government's commitment on the issue of integration. The task force on integration, the ministerial council for integration and the immigrant commission are all part of Government policy, which will guide us in the years to come. Other initiatives with the Garda, the health services and the city and town councils, where local anti-racism diversity plans are being implemented, as outlined by the Minister of State, show the Government's commitment. The FAI must be commended for its appointment of an intercultural officer and the corporate sector must also be commended for its work in expanding immigration and integration policy.

Education is the key, not only for the 17,000 new Irish but also for the 340,000 Irish in the second level education system, and not only for the 31,000 new Irish but also for the 446,000 Irish in the primary school system. The civil, social and political education, or CSPE, programme provides the Government with a perfect opportunity to teach the Irish about the new Irish. I ask the Minister of State to consider asking the Department of Education and Science to make integration a part of the CSPE course. Education is the key to shaping the Ireland of the future and it is also the way to teach young Irish people about the new Irish.

An extreme example of education being used to teach racism to an entire race was the Nazi domination of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when education was used to demonise, ghettoise and isolate the minorities. It is a stark example of education being used to promote a particular mindset but also an example of how, if a people can be taught racism, they can be taught integration. The Government's various initiatives are enabling people who speak different languages to communicate with each other and thus avoid isolation. For example, €120 million is being spent on 1,900 language support teachers, which is a major step in the right direction, compared with where we were five years ago when we had only 260 such teachers.

In our search to help integrate the new Irish I am delighted to see an integrated approach being adopted by the Minister for Education and Science and her counterpart in Northern Ireland towards determining the language proficiency of pupils. Teachers who have to deal with children whose first language is not English will find the tool kit for diversity in primary schools, Together Towards Inclusion, an invaluable aid.

I am sure many people are not aware of the Government's array of supports for parents of the new Irish. The Department of Education and Science's website, which provides information in six languages on the education system, is a great example of such initiatives. The DVD on the primary school curriculum in five languages is also a step in the right direction in helping the new Irish to find their way through our education system.

The final report by the ESRI on how increasing diversity in our schools impacts upon the resource requirements of day-to-day teaching and learning will be of assistance to the Minister in formulating policy in this area. Education has been a key to our economic success so we must ensure we provide enough resources to the education sector so that the new Irish are provided with the opportunity to contribute to this society.

I wish the Minister of State well in his work of ensuring future generations of Irish will judge people not by the colour of their skin but by their character. I commend the Government on its initiatives across a wide range of sectors and also wish the Minister well in his role.

Joe O'Toole (Independent)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Haughey, to the House. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, for his earlier contribution in which he said:

We must work to ensure an intercultural society where the different cultures speak to each other, listen and ultimately enrich each other in the context of a common aspiration to promote the welfare and values of a new Irish society.

The Minister of State put that forward as a challenge and I agree with it. I do not believe, however, that the rest of his speech went down that particular route. It is much more practical.

I agree with the point Senator Regan made about language teachers. I will not deal with it now as time is short but he is right to say that important matter needs to be addressed. I also acknowledge the point made by Senator Mark Daly and others concerning additional language teachers. It was a battle to get them and they are doing a great job, but the system needs to be tightened up along the lines Senator Regan outlined.

There is another issue I wish to deal with and about which all sides of the House should express outrage. We cannot accept a situation whereby every single appeal to the Refugee Appeals Tribunal has been rejected. That cannot be right, so we should examine the matter closely. I disagreed with criticisms of the previous Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform by those who called him fascist and racist. He was right-wing and conservative in his viewpoint but he is certainly not a fascist or a racist. He is far closer to libertarianism than anything else. I did not often agree with the way in which he tried to do things, but I do not think he deliberately established a refugee appeals system to operate as it does. Somebody should examine what is going on in the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. I am not saying there is any greater wisdom on this side of the House than the other, but we want to know what is happening. If a certain number of cases go before an appeals structure and not one of them succeeds, questions must be asked.

The recent economic boom has been fuelled by immigrants. In every significant developed economy in the western world, the second generation of immigrants have provided an extraordinary injection into the successful development of the next phase of the economic cycle. We have seen that happening in the United Kingdom, the United States and elsewhere.

I do not wish to argue over words but I welcome that not only the Minister but also the Department has moved from a concept of multiculturalism to one of interculturalism. A significant point in Irish life was marked by the establishment of the country's first Muslim school, although it did not give rise to the discussions which I felt were necessary. It was a good thing to reflect our openness in allowing another religion and culture to flourish, but it was not a good thing in the sense that we were just giving them their own private space. That is basically what leads to racism and apartheid. It is not about giving space to different groups, which is multiculturalism. Interculturalism, however, is where one measures a community by the quality of the engagement between different cultural backgrounds. That is a challenge not just to our society but also to immigrants.

To take the point Senator Mark Daly made about south Boston, the Bronx or Cricklewood, we can see that we were basically buying into establishing places where only Irish people lived. The challenge to every immigrant group in this country is not just about integration but the fact that there must also be a certain cultural compromise by immigrants. There are too many do-gooders in this regard. I support and defend immigrants but that does not mean one does not pose questions and create challenges for them. I want to see second-generation immigrants playing in all-Ireland finals, but it must be allowed to happen by encouraging immigrants to participate in Gaelic games and whatever else is going on in this country.

In recent times, we have seen communities standing by immigrant families and trying to prevent them being sent out of the country. Such cases occurred in small communities, which is the answer to Senator Daly's point. They happened in Bantry, Killarney, Sligo and Athlone where communities banded together because they knew the immigrant families concerned. Such families had become part of the local community, taking part in local festivals and living there. In a place such as Gort, for example, the Brazilian culture is probably stronger than the Irish one. The Brazilians have intermingled and created a community there. We are talking about community building but to do it we need to be fair and firm. It is not about opening our gates to anybody who comes in but about recognising that when people come here, they come in through a process. That is why it needs to be regulated at all times. It does not mean having open doors because regulation is required and that should reflect labour force requirements.

In addition, we need to be humanitarian and recognise that some asylum seekers are economic migrants. There is nothing wrong with that if they make a contribution to our society, learn in our schools and add more to the community. It does mean, however, that a certain cultural compromise is required when they come here. The fact that people leave their own country to come here means that they have made a decision in that regard anyway. They are now living here and we want to see them playing Gaelic games and understanding Irish culture. That does not mean that we seek to change the core values of their own culture but it does mean a certain amount of assimilation, although I know some groups hate that word. In other words, to integrate one must assimilate to a certain extent into Irish society, and that means giving up some things that were valuable in one's own country.

When Irish people went to America they had to merge, assimilate and make certain cultural compromises concerning what was going on in that country. They may have had to adopt new attitudes. Irish people in America now celebrate Thanksgiving in the same way they celebrate Christmas, and thus have two festivals.

Last year, there was a row about a Christmas tree in Tallaght Hospital because some people thought it would be insulting to those who were not of a Christian persuasion. We should not allow ourselves to get into such a nonsensical argument nor give credence to those who provoke such arguments. They do not deserve any answer apart from the kind of debate we are having in this Chamber. People must recognise that there is give and take in all these matters.

The real issue, which was raised by Senator Mark Daly, is that Irish people went to America and other places and suffered discrimination. Chuaigh a lán acu as na Gaeltachtaí gan focal Béarla acu. Ní raibh cuid acu in ann scríobh abhaile nó labhairt leis na daoine timpeall orthu. Labhair siad Gaeilge lena chomhleacaithe i pé áit ina rabhadar — Springfield nó Boston, mar shampla. They never really settled in. The worst thing was that they became discriminatory toward coloured people in the United States. This type of discrimination reverberates down through the generations and we must address that.

I am supportive of groups representing immigrant communities and always ask them if they can point me to the best role model in the world which has the best immigration policy for which we should aim. I never receive a complete answer but it is quite interesting that the thoughtful people in those groups invariably suggest three countries, namely, New Zealand, Australia and Canada. What is important is that those three countries have firm immigration policies which are perceived to be fair. It is about ensuring the system works in a way with which we can all live.

It is important we reflect on the fact that immigrants have brought considerable economic benefits to this country and deserve to be treated fairly, with equality and to be fully educated. That is investment in our future. Immigration is good and necessary for this country and economic development is dependent on immigrants coming to this country. That is the reality, so we need to make it work. We also need immigrants to make it work. That is the type of conversation which should take place between us and the newcomers to this country.

Lisa McDonald (Fianna Fail)
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We have not faced the challenge of integration of new people to our shores in modern times. We need to supplement the necessary debate about immigration control and the arrival and reception of immigrants with one about the long-term picture, namely, integration. I have read that multiculturalism is defined as "validating diversity and harmony between different groups". Instead of building higher walls, it offers security of identity while promoting a creative and dynamic hybridity. There are times, however, when the loose way in which the term has come to be used in public debate is unhelpful and even dangerous.

On the one hand, the rather fuzzy way in which the pro-diversity and anti-racist lobby groups use the word "integration" hardly provides us with an effective roadmap for defining future policy. On the other hand, the lack of clarity about the term also fuels the concerns of those who fear change, sometimes for understandable reasons, and who do not know where it is leading us.

Everyone is a little nervous of the new and it behoves politicians and those who favour change to explain what they mean and the implications such changes might have for ordinary people. Those of us who belong to the pro lobby when it comes to immigration and integration have sometimes failed to take our case to the public in terms which are understandable and clear. We fail to connect in that regard.

Multiculturalism would not work without State intervention and support but it cannot be managed in the long-term on a top-down basis. The aim must be to facilitate partnership-based, bottom-up approaches through local community groups and schools.

I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, on setting up the expert group to advise the Government on integration policies and I look forward to its report early next year. I also congratulate him on his intelligent handling of his policy brief thus far. However, I mention a few areas of crucial concern. We need to encourage the Civil Service to introduce a recruitment policy for foreign nationals. Different elements of the State are operating at different speeds and it is the Government's job to bring everybody up to speed, so to speak. The Garda Síochána is ahead of the pack in that regard and has recruited foreign nationals. I would also like to see the Civil Service do so. Seeing public sector jobs being made available would be an important signal to immigrants as it would encourage so-called ethnic entrepreneurship where immigrants set up their own business which has benefits for society.

Language classes were mentioned but there is no uniformity in the way the vocational education committees are running classes. They are not run frequently enough. We all know how easy it is to forget what we have learned from one term to another. More frequent classes are needed to continue learning done in the previous course. A more formal approach needs to be taken. I urge that pressure be put on the VECs immediately to run more classes. If we are to wait until the report comes out and perhaps another year before some formal approach is taken, many people will be frustrated because they cannot speak the language. Frustration can lead to other things, such as crime. It behoves us all to put pressure on the VECs. Some of them are brilliant at what they are doing but others are not so good. There is no uniformity of approach and we need to address that.

The primary school initiatives the Minister of State mentioned are very welcome. However, we need to focus on the parents. The parent information provided on the websites is excellent but many immigrants do not have access to the Internet. It may be a bridge too far for them to look up Internet sites when really all they are looking for is human contact.

John's Road primary school in Wexford town, in conjunction with the Wexford area partnership, has just completed a programme for the parents of next year's junior infants in preparing them for school. It is called Head Start. They finished the first stint of their eight week course last night and it has gone very well. This could be held up as a model of what needs to be done and what works. Funding for this came from the European integration fund. It is piecemeal, obviously, and we should consider rolling it out.

The recognition of qualifications is another area which causes stress. I suggest the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland needs to speed up confirming qualifications because it is taking approximately six months, which is a little too long.

We need to address access to health services and advocacy rights, which are vital. People deserve to be treated like human beings and we need more contact points and clinics. The area partnerships are the way to go in that regard because they get people in and are able to deal with them through translators. The two new integration funds from Europe are welcome in that regard because they are giving more support.

Policy, planning and provision all matter in terms of the effective reception of immigrants into our society and systems but civic society has a crucial and active role to play. Settling into a strange place with a different language is tough. As Senator Mark Daly said, we know how tough it is, so I will not go over that again.

Some people have legitimate concerns, which they have expressed, about the impact of immigration, whether on the lives of those already marginalised in society, our mores and values, wage levels, job security, housing or on a host of other issues. We need to create a space for those voices to be heard. We cannot allow racism to fester. I hope this debate will help to provide such a space. There should be fora for different voices throughout the country and I welcome what the Minister of State said about funding such fora.

Many countries have got this wrong but I have great confidence we will get it right because we will do it differently from them. Integration is the way forward and I welcome the Minister of State's report which I hope we will have early next year so that we can get on with the job.

Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I welcome a former long-serving Member, Dino Cregan, to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery.

Alex White (Labour)
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I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for facilitating this debate. I was struck by something Senator McDonald said at the outset when she examined what the word "integration" means. It is a word that is thrown around a lot. It is something everybody believes in and thinks of as a positive thing. I am sure we all subscribe to it.

However, there is a certain fuzziness to it sometimes, as Senator McDonald identified. It strikes me that one cannot ultimately detach what one's integration policy is or what one wants it to be from the harder questions of immigration policy. Some of the areas referred to by Senator Regan, such as delays in applications for status, lack of consistency in the application of different rules by the Department and an absence of a clear policy that people can understand, are all very relevant to integration.

If one has a cohort of people in one's country who are uncertain of their status and futures and when or where they will see their families again, one builds into their lives a permanent sense of the temporary. If people have a permanent or semi-permanent sense of the temporary in their lives, how are they expected to integrate and take the steps any person or citizen needs to take to integrate into the society around them?

I suggest to the Minister of State and my colleagues that we ought not to think that we can detach the sometimes fuzzier issue of integration from the hard-nosed central issues of what should constitute our immigration policy. In that sense, I regret the fact that there appears to have been a further delay in proceeding with the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill. It has not been produced again this session. It is time it was produced, particularly given that the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, said last week that it might be necessary to introduce legislation in this area every year. He is not in the House at the moment but will perhaps be in a position to respond to this and perhaps we will get an opportunity to ask him again about it.

The statement by the Minister of State was curious, especially when we do not even have the basic legislation in place. He was saying that we might have to introduce new legislation every year. It might help if we could have one Act as this would then enable us to understand the basis upon which the Government wishes us to view its immigration policy in all its various facets. I have some concerns about elements of the Bill but we will wait and perhaps have a longer debate on that in due course.

The notion of a legal pathway to permanence is something towards which every citizen has an aspiration. We have debated the issue of the Irish in the US over and over again in this House and are supporting the campaign in the US. What is that about? It is about people having a sense that they will be able to put their roots down properly in the society they are in, send their children to the local schools, buy their house, get jobs and settle in. These are the kinds of things that any human being, worker, employee or employer wishes to do and is something to which we should aspire for people who come to this country.

Some other Senators argue that we cannot divorce or detach the notion of integration from some of the other issues relating to our labour market. I have previously raised the question of agency workers and the agency workers directive. Surely this issue is linked to integration? I asked the Minister of State to indicate why on 5 December 2007, the Government again joined with one or two other states in blocking the draft directive on agency workers. This directive would equalise the rights and entitlements of persons who are brought into this country by agencies with those of their counterparts who work directly for firms. Again, this is a vitally important issue if we are serious about integration. Why should people not see that they have basic rights in employment? These are basic, not enhanced rights. They are just the same rights held by their counterparts who are Irish citizens or have come here other than by being introduced through agencies. This issue is not separate from integration but is entirely relevant to it.

I welcome the fact that the position the Minister of State holds has been accepted by the Government. This is a positive step and has been welcomed across the board by a number of different organisations. It is right that we also should welcome it and wish the Minister of State well in the task he has undertaken because it is important. I wonder whether the figure of €9 million, which was mentioned in his speech, is in any way sufficient for the task at hand but it is a start and we must see how things progress.

The Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy Haughey, the Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Carey, and others will be familiar with the fact that Ministers sometimes straddle different Departments. This is particularly true in the case of the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan. I wonder how this will ultimately work and whether there will be a real sense of a Minister of State being able to call the shots on the issue and make real executive decisions or whether he will simply be somebody who is somewhat semi-detached from two or three different Departments. I hope this does not turn out to be the case.

With regard to what has been referred to as the softer issue of integration, if one can call it that, there is a big job to be done in terms of engaging public debate and support for it. We need to take a hearts and minds-type approach to this. Former Senator Maurice Hayes leads the National Forum on Europe, and other fora have been set up to deal with other issues, including the North. Perhaps this is an area where we should consider a forum of that kind even if it is a travelling forum and we have to devote some resources to it. It is something that needs to be taken into civil society, not just talked about here in Dublin. As Senator O'Toole and others have said, we should engage with sporting organisations and organisations that have standing in the community, not just the NGOs. I have huge regard for the different NGOs involved in this debate but it is too big and important to be left to groups of NGOs, however vitally important their work.

Some of the NGOs with which I have been in contact have expressed concern about the level of real engagement which the Minister of State has had with them. It is early days but I hope that he would respond to their request for closer and more meaningful consultation in respect of the way forward he proposes to take.

Other Senators have dealt with the issue of education. In fairness to the Minister of State, he has identified education and language as two vital pillars of an integration policy. Nobody could disagree with that because they are at the heart of what needs to be done. Some Government speakers have pointed to the extra spending on language support teachers in primary schools and so on, with which I am familiar and which I very much welcome. However, it is not nearly enough. More resources are required.

We constantly call for resources and such a call can be just a catch cry but there is a genuine need there. Knowledge of and the ability to speak the language of the country where one lives is vital for any individual, citizen or family seeking to make a life for themselves. We should support and encourage immigrants, many of whom, in my experience, are very anxious to learn English. We sometimes suggest that people should be told that they must learn English or that it is an absolute requirement. Immigrants are only too keen to learn English if the support and facilities are there. If the State or the VEC provides these language courses, by all means charge immigrants a fee, perhaps a modest fee on a sliding scale. Many immigrants I know and have met are only too willing to improve their English and improve themselves in that way.

The overall point has been made by my colleagues and is one that my party and I support. The balance sheet in terms of the impact of immigration in this country has never been anything other than positive in the past decade. We should all see it as a great opportunity for our country and for those people who come here. The people who come to our shores should not be feared and immigration should not be debated in that context, rather it should be viewed as a great and positive opportunity. It is here to stay for Ireland and this is an interesting start to the debate, to which I hope we return in due course.

Pat Moylan (Fianna Fail)
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I call Senator de Búrca.

Larry Butler (Fianna Fail)
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I have been overlooked on a number of occasions as a speaker. I was supposed to be second on the list and I have not had the chance to speak. I wish to draw the attention of the Cathaoirleach to it.

Pat Moylan (Fianna Fail)
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I have just come into the Chamber and I saw Senator de Búrca's name next. I will call Senator Butler next.

Déirdre de Búrca (Green Party)
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I welcome the opportunity to discuss integration policy. This issue is very important for this country because of the speed and extent of the demographic changes in the past ten to 20 years. It is difficult to believe the extent of immigration in this country. It is estimated that up to 14% of the Irish population is made up of immigrants and non-nationals. It poses a significant challenge for the country. Based on Ireland's experience and the fact that many of our residents emigrated, leading to a large diaspora, we have no excuse for getting it wrong when the experience is reversed. We have primary experience of moving to other countries and being strangers and immigrants. We know how difficult it can be. While no perfect model of integration has been identified, Ireland is in a position to benefit from the experience of many countries.

Different models of integration have been experimented with, from the assimilation model attempted by France to the multicultural approach of Great Britain. It is fair to categorise Ireland's approach as intercultural and there is growing consensus that this is a more progressive and effective way of helping immigrants to integrate. An intercultural approach is where interaction, exchange and communication between cultures is encouraged and there is an egalitarian relationship between the host culture and the immigrant cultures.

I agree with those who have highlighted education as an important part of integration policy and an important mechanism to integrate children and young immigrants to the host culture. The Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, states that the battle for integration will be won or lost in the schools.

We have many problems that must be overcome if we are to help the children of immigrants to integrate properly. One of these is planning. Many immigrants live in suburbs of our capital city. We must ensure the way we plan does not lead to new schools catering specifically for the children of immigrants, creating educational ghettos. This would not be in the interests of educational planning or integration policy. We must be careful to gather statistics to inform our planning system so that we can respond with properly integrated schools, with a combination of new immigrant populations and our Irish population.

I am concerned at the models of education provided to the children of immigrants enrolling in our schools. When the Minister for Education and Science was in the House we spoke of the dominance of the faith-based model in Ireland. The Catholic Church runs 98% of State schools. While it has done a good job over many decades, we recognise it is time for a new, non-denominational model for children of other faith cultures. Educate Together is a positive model and some 20 applications have been made for new schools this year. This reflects the demand for a new model for non-denominational education catering for children of immigrants attending school in this country.

I support those who call for a greater emphasis on English language training for the children of immigrants attending our schools. In Australia, English language training is provided for between six and 12 months prior to a child attending a mainstream school. We should examine this model. It is difficult for children to integrate and assimilate if there are language barriers. Providing preliminary language training before school would make it easier for them.

Many positive steps have been taken in the development of an integration policy. I recognise the fact that we have appointed a Minister of State with responsibility for integration, a positive step. The increase in the budget from €5 million to €9 million is welcome, as is the establishment of a task force for integration. The national action plan on racism supports our policy on integration. The Department of Education and Science has provided guidelines on intercultural education, developed in response to the situation in our schools. The National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism is another important structure to support and assist the implementation of an integration policy.

Some have criticised, however, how integration policy has focused on immigrants as economic units, taking a labour market approach to the challenge of immigration. Cultural assimilation is important and I am pleased to see funding dedicated to awareness raising exercises through the media, arts, sports and cultural spaces to promote positive images of other cultures and develop greater understanding among the public. We also need mechanisms to promote enhanced participation of immigrants in our society, politically in terms of policy making and at community level.

A number of concerns have been expressed by non-governmental organisations and groups representing immigrants. There have been repeated calls for an independent appeals mechanism for immigration decisions. There is a need for a transparent and independent appeals mechanism for immigration decisions. I hope the Government will commit to this and establish it soon. There is also concern about the payment to asylum seekers. When first introduced in 2000 it was €19.10 and has not changed in seven years. I was contacted by groups who expressed disappointment that this amount was not increased. We should consider this for the budget next year.

Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)
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I wish to share time with Senator Buttimer. A politician in another country is spending much time quoting Dr. Martin Luther King when he says certain issues require an urgent passion for now. The subject we are discussing is one such issue. We spend much time talking about infrastructure, public spending and other issues in this House. Problems created in these areas can be fixed later. The issue of social integration and the kind of society we want is very different. If we do not make the correct decisions in respect of these matters, future generations will reap very negative consequences as a result of our lack of action in and focus on this area.

This matter must be set against a backdrop of an experience of integration in Ireland which has been very positive. I live in and represent an area that has experienced colossal change in a short period. I have been struck by how, for the majority of people, this has been a positive experience which has led to the economic, social and religious regeneration of areas that needed it.

The kind of integration for which we must strive is that which gives people arriving here the ability to live independent lives and which allows them to be respected. These people's lives must not be completely separate from the country and society they have entered. To date, we have by and large been able to facilitate people in this regard.

One of the many questions we must answer is whether our success in this area was achieved by design or through luck. In view of the rapid change taking place and the degree to which our society has changed so quickly, I am of the view that this success has been achieved more through luck than by design. I do not mean this as a criticism because the luck to which I refer is that which we have generated. It is luck that draws upon the many positive qualities of Irish people, namely, the desire to be generous and to respect other people who are trying to look after themselves and their families and create a better life for all.

There are, however, a number of areas in respect of which we should refocus our attention to ensure we do the right thing by those arriving into the country and the people already living here. Previous speakers referred to some of these areas so I will not dwell on them at length. I will concentrate on those areas in respect of which not much was said.

The first matter to which I wish to refer involves children arriving in Ireland with adults who are not their parents or with whom they do not have a close positive relationship. After a short period, these children are frequently stranded here without adults who can look after them. I have seen figures which indicate there are up to 300 such minors in Ireland who find themselves in that position. I cannot think of a situation that would be more desperate or wretched than being a young person stranded in a country where one was not born, with which one has little or no cultural affinity and with nobody to look after one. The relevant agencies must up their game in dealing with this issue. Barnardos has pointed out the frequency with which such children are abandoned and the need for us to deal with the matter.

The second issue to which I wish to refer is that involving the operation of the refugee tribunals. It is scandalous that certain individuals are being treated in a particular way by some of these tribunals. It was stated in the House earlier in the week that a member of one of the refugee tribunals has consistently refused people entry to this country and continually prevented them from being treated in a dignified and fair manner. The degree of discussion taking place in respect of this matter and the priority it is being given is scandalous. It is important that we should take action in this regard in a more urgent and passionate fashion.

Ireland is the most globalised small country in the world. Our recent success has been built on our unique ability to benefit from flows of capital. The challenge we face is to ensure we benefit socially, culturally and economically from the flows of people that will enter the country in the future. We should not just refer to these individuals as a flow of labour.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Donohoe for sharing time. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Pat Carey.

We live in a multicultural society. Those of us who live in Cork would never have thought we would come to live in an Ireland in which we would be obliged to embrace different cultures, languages and nationalities. We should take cognisance of the latter in formulating a phased, planned integration policy. The Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, who was present earlier, was correct to state that the integration of newcomers is one of the most important social issues we face. It is regrettable that we did not have a planned integration policy in the education sector. It is important that young people entering the country are welcomed and begin their studies here in a positive manner.

I welcome Deputy Conor Lenihan's appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for integration. Census figures indicate that the percentage of immigrants entering the country is continually increasing. It is imperative, therefore, that these people be integrated. Senator Regan referred to existing immigration legislation, applications for residency permits, the work permit system, driver safety legislation and the education system. I appeal to the Minister of State to continue to examine ways in which we might introduce improvements in these areas. We must reinforce, in particular, the work done by teachers who are being frustrated in their efforts to reach out to people. As a former teacher, I am acutely aware of what is happening in this regard.

Planning is a vital factor. I pay tribute to the Cois Tine group in Cork which operates under the leadership of Fr. Angelo Lafferty and his team and the SMA Fathers. This group works with people and helps them integrate into our society. It behoves us all to dispel the myth relating to racism and to deal with the intolerance that exists in many parts of our society in respect of new communities.

The needs of migrants have changed and are centred on information and help in respect of the asylum process, particularly as many of them have moved out of asylum centres and into communities. These people face a struggle in terms of dealing with issues relating to housing, employment, schools and integration.

The issue of education is critical and I appeal to the Minister of State that, even if we do nothing else in respect of our integration policy, we ensure we empower our schools and provide them with resources. I have worked in the area of education and I encountered immigrant students and their families who had difficulties adjusting. We must remember that one size does not fit all.

We need to support ethnic groups, reinforce the work being done by many great organisations — in Cork it is done by Cois Tine and NASC — and build bridges to new communities. By doing so and by building on the good work that has already been done, we will avoid the regrettable ghettoisation that is beginning to occur in some parts of our cities. I appeal to the Minister of State to put in place the structures that are necessary to build and create new communities.

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Members for their interesting comments on the future direction of immigration policy. In the short time I have been in the Chamber I observed great unity among Members in support of the approach we are adopting. That many Members have much to contribute indicates the complexity of the issue of immigration. I reiterate that we have an unique opportunity in Ireland to get it right in terms of how we deal with this issue. Members will often have heard the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, say that in the context of learning from the mistakes of other countries and our becoming a truly international example of best practice in dealing with this issue.

Ireland has been transformed by immigration. I heard what Senator O'Donovan said. Anybody who works in Dublin city and elsewhere in the country recognises the positive contribution immigration has made to this country. It has thrown up challenges and raised some fears but overall a positive contribution has been made by all of those who have chosen to come to live here. We have been enriched by people from a wide variety of cultures who have come to live among us. However, we must ensure we do not squander the goodwill that currently undoubtedly exists.

The Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, has consulted the Civil Service commissioners on mechanisms to encourage non-Irish nationals to join the public service. Another priority is the encouragement of ethnic entrepreneurship. The Minister of State was a great supporter of the Emerge programme, when he was Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for overseas development, which greatly aided non-Irish nationals to establish businesses. As the Minister of State develops Ireland's integration policy in the next few months, he will seek to meet with and to listen to all stakeholders. He described the mechanisms he intends to put in place for that to happen.

I reiterate that we are at a very exciting stage in developing integration policy. We recognise the importance of proper planning, which is essential. We will put in place consultation measures with other Departments to ensure the mainstreaming of Ireland's integration policy into all areas of strategic planning.

The comments of the Members who spoke have been useful and the Minister of State will take them on board in developing his policy for the future.

Pat Moylan (Fianna Fail)
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When is it proposed to sit again?

Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)
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At 2.30 p.m. next Tuesday, 18 December.