Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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30. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the measures her Department is taking to facilitate the transfer and resettlement of refugees here; if she is satisfied with Ireland's contribution to the refugee resettlement programme to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27430/16]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I have already addressed the substantive issues relating to the Irish Refugee Protection Programme in my response to earlier questions. The Deputy's question focusses on the refugee resettlement element of that Programme, as opposed to the relocation element so I will directly address this component in my response.

On 13 May 2015, the European Commission, published an EU Agenda for Migration. Among the measures proposed was the establishment of an EU-wide resettlement scheme to offer 20,000 resettlement places across the EU with each Member State's allocations calculated according to a distribution key. Ireland's allocation under this mechanism was 272 persons displaced by the Syrian conflict to be resettled in Ireland over a two year period up to mid 2017.

Taking account of the situation in the Middle East, and the plight of the refugees, the Tánaiste announced that Ireland would go further and would accept 520 persons for resettlement over an 18 month period - up to the end of 2016. This was far in excess, almost double the figure proposed by the Commission. As of today, 486 persons displaced by the Syrian conflict have arrived in Ireland. I have since announced that a further 260 refugees will be taken in by Ireland in 2017 bringing the total number of refugees to 780. Hence, at least 780 of the 4,000 that Ireland has agreed to accept under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme will come purely from the refugee cohort. The possibility of an additional refugee pledge in 2017 is under active consideration. Other mechanisms to fill the gap are also under review and will be contingent on further developments at EU level.

I also wish to inform the Deputy that the refugee pledges focus on the most vulnerable families and I am satisfied with the progress being made in regard to the refugee resettlement portion of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme.