Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 57: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the new projects targeted at vulnerable immigrant families that he has provided with money from the Dormant Accounts Fund; the amount of money provided; his views on whether this is sufficient to assist vulnerable immigrant families; the type of services that will be provided; if he will provide further funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31282/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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On 4th January 2006, following Government approval, I announced details of the allocation of €24 million from the Dormant Accounts Fund for the purpose of supporting programmes and projects tacking economic and social disadvantage. The rollout of these programmes is well underway. Within this category I announced in August last that the Government has approved the allocation of €574,989 from the Dormant Accounts Fund to six projects targeted at vulnerable immigrant families. The key objective of this funding is to provide supports that will increase the employability of vulnerable immigrant families who have been granted refugee status or who have been granted leave to remain in the State. Projects include pre-employment training programmes and strategies, job-seeking programmes and measures to promote access to employment. Full details of the awards are included at Appendix 1.

The integration of refugees and other non-nationals into Irish society is an urgent and important issue. This funding is a further step in the process of integration and is directed primarily at facilitating access to employment in the short to medium term. This funding is additional and complementary to initiatives in respect of the integration of legally resident immigrants taken by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform which has a coordinating role in this area.

In this context, the Deputy may be aware that my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform recently decided to establish a €5 million Fund to support integration related activities to cover all legally resident migrants, including immigrant families. A total of €2 million will be used to fund integration initiatives both from the new Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Services and projects linked to the National Action Plan against Racism. The balance of €3 million will be used to fund projects from NGOs (€1 million) and local partnerships (€2 million) and will be administered on behalf of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform by Pobal.