Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the funding provided since the establishment of the Office for Integration to groups involved in migrant integration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19805/08]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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For 2008, an amount of €9.2 million was allocated to my Office in the Estimates. This is being used to create new funding lines and establish new integration structures as outlined in my recent policy statement, Migration Nation, as well as to support existing initiatives.

In line with the policy I have announced, a special emphasis is being placed on funding membership organisations, faith-based groups and building local structures. I expect to allocate around €3 million for these areas in 2008.

Since I took office, actual expenditure and planned expenditure for the remainder of 2008 under the European Social Fund to support immigrants in gaining employment and/or further education and training amount to €750,000. €4.4 million has been made available for other integration-related projects such as, for example, initiatives to support the integration of legally resident immigrants. My Office also operates a small grants scheme to support community and voluntary efforts at a local level. Expenditure on this since, since I took office and planned for 2008, is €525,000.

In the area of addressing racism I am providing approximately €1.05 million this year through the National Action Plan against Racism (NPAR) and €500,000 is being used to fund the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism. The NPAR allocation is used primarily to make strategic interventions in the implementation of the Plan, to pursue specific research projects and to undertake public awareness/information initiatives and grants schemes. In addition to the above measures, which are funded in 2008 from the €9.2 million allocation in respect of my Office, €1.2 million is available from the European Refugee Fund and a further €1.6 million from the European Fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals. Pobal is administering these Funds on behalf of my Office and they have decided on the projects to be supported following a call for proposals and formal appraisal.