Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 881: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the policies the Government will put in place in relation to immigration and the integration of migrants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19767/07]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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In April 2005 my predecessor as Minister launched a public consultation process on the subject of immigration. The vehicle for this consultation process was a policy document, Immigration and Residence in Ireland, which he published outlining the Government's proposals for addressing Ireland's immigration system in a comprehensive way. More than 120 organisations and individuals made submissions as part of this process reflecting a wide range of concerns and interests in the migration system. In addition to dealing with the individual areas of the immigration system from initial visa application to long-term residence, the document also set out the core principles underpinning immigration policy, including maintaining the safety and security of the State and its residents, promoting the common good, managing migration in an orderly fashion to serve the economic and social needs of the State and its residents, protecting human rights, protecting and developing Ireland's international relations, ensuring fair treatment of persons, achieving reasonable standards of clarity and transparency, and providing satisfactory standards of service. These principles were reflected in the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill 2007, which was published by the outgoing Government in April of this year. The Bill is being reviewed and refined at present with a view to publication in the autumn. The Bill will set out a comprehensive legislative framework within which our immigration system can be managed in a flexible manner.

As regards policies on integration, the Deputy will recall that in June 2007, the Taoiseach appointed Deputy Conor Lenihan as Minister of State with responsibility for the development of integration policy. The Minister of State is based in the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, with links to the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Education and Science. The Minister of State's office is still being established. Staff from the Integration Division of the Reception and Integration Agency have already assigned to it and are co-located with the new Minister of State. As part of developing a broad co-ordination and policy development role, I understand that the Minister of State proposes to establish a Task Force on Integration in early 2008 to run for a year. The task force will identify key issues affecting immigrant communities, consult widely with immigrants and Irish people, visit communities, examine existing research and report back with recommendations. In the interim, the Minister of State with responsibility for integration will build on and accelerate the progress that has already been made in the integration area. He proposes to adopt a mainstream policy of service provision which places special responsibility on all Departments to consider and formulate integration proposals in their own area of competence. To this end he will co-ordinate Departments' integration activities in the integration area through a special cross-departmental group on integration. A range of ongoing strategic studies including English language training, interpretation, funding and information provision will also inform policy development.