Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 36: 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. [33558/08]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

For 2008, an amount of €9.293 million was allocated to my Office in the Estimates. This is being used to create new funding lines and establish a new Ministerial Council on Integration as outlined in my 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 new funding initiatives, for example grants to local authorities and national sporting bodies. I have set aside €1 million for local authorities in 2008 and I have approved grants of €505,000 to sporting bodies.

Since the establishment of my 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 €486,000 approximately. €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 I took office and planned for 2008, is about €500,000.

In addition to the above measures, which are funded in 2008 from the €9.293 million allocation in respect of my Office, €1.2 million was made available from the European Refugee Fund and a further €1.5 million from the European Fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals. Pobal is administering these Funds on behalf of my Office.