Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 125: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason the Minister with responsibility for integration closed the fund for integration, which was established in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34348/08]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The fund to which the question refers was a targeted initiative put in place in 2006 to provide funding for initiatives to support the integration of legally resident immigrants. This was intended as a once off initiative for a period of one year and €3 million was allocated to it to be administered by Pobal. Subsequent to the original allocation of €3 million, I allocated a further €1 million in 2007 to fund an additional number of NGOs and Partnerships, again to be administered by Pobal. In my statement on integration strategy and diversity management, Migration Nation, I announced the establishment of new funding lines to promote integration. These measures are being rolled out at the moment and will be the primary means by which my Office will support integration in the future.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 126: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his plans for the national action plan against racism, in view of the fact that it is due to close in December 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34349/08]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I am committed to continuing to promote national campaigns aimed at challenging racism and promoting understanding of diversity. In the aftermath of the conclusion of the National Action Plan Against Racism, this work will proceed in conjunction with new structures which I outlined in my statement on integration strategy and diversity management, Migration Nation.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if an organisation (details supplied) will receive future funding for its activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34350/08]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The organisation to which the question refers received monies from a special integration initiative introduced in 2006. This provided for seed-funding in relation to integration initiatives for legally-resident immigrants. As was made clear in the official guidelines for this special fund, support was provided on a once-off basis.

In my statement on integration strategy and diversity management, Migration Nation, I announced the establishment of new funding lines to promote integration. One of these funding lines is for sporting bodies. In Migration Nation, I stated that the time seems right to support the integration of migrants by making funding available to national sporting organisations to help them implement integration plans in their organisations. I went on to say that, as funding is necessarily limited, the intention is to provide it to the bodies with the greatest potential to involve large numbers of migrants in their activities. I am about to allocate monies to such bodies. I would suggest that the organisation referred to in the question should liaise with these bodies in relation to programmes which it wishes to promote and I am prepared to consider funding in that context.