Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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256. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the amount of extra funding being allocated to local authorities in advance of the Syrian resettlement programme; the areas to which funding is being allocated, for example, housing, English classes, rural development and community development by year and local authority, in tabular form; if this funding is coming from the European integration fund or another body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41800/17]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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257. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if extra funding is being provided to community groups in areas in which Syrian refugees are being resettled under the Syrian resettlement programme; the number of months in advance of and after the arrival of refugees funding is being allocated; the breakdown of funding by year, name of community group, type of community activity and local authority area, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41801/17]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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260. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his Department has engaged with community groups on the ground in local authority areas in preparation for the Syrian resettlement programme, refugee protection programme and other departmental programmes dealing with the Syrian refugee crisis; if his Department or local authorities are being encouraged to engage with community groups; if so, the means or resources through which it is engaging; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41806/17]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to takes Questions Nos. 256, 257 and 260 together.

The implementation of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) for resettling Syrian refugees requires a high level of coordination among service delivery agencies at the local level, with support from the IRPP. The IRPP is embedded within the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration (OPMI). My Department is mobilising European Union Funding under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) in support of these efforts. The Local Authority plays a critical role in ensuring the success of each resettlement through the implementation of a process carried out by an implementing partner with expertise in community integration and relevant supports, supported by funding provided through OPMI.

To date OPMI have committed €2,531,008 in AMIF funding to assist with this vitally important work. Twelve local authorities have received grant funding in this regard, with three local authorities likely to conclude their grant allocation process before the end of the year. Currently, funding is provided for a period of up to 18 months ideally commencing prior to the arrival of refugees. The following table sets out the current position regarding grants to Local Authorities to assist in the resettlement of Syrian Refugees.

The following Exchequer funding was provided by the OPMI to assist in the resettlement of refugees.

English classes for Syrian refugee resettlement programmes are provided by the local Education Training Board. Other mainstream services are provided to resettled Syrian refugees by the relevant bodies who have statutory responsibility such as, for example, in the areas of health and social protection. The OPMI supports the coordination of those activities and works closely with partners in an interagency coordination group chaired by the Local Authority. With respect to housing, the IRPP work closely with the relevant Local Authorities and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. In regard to education, the IRPP similarly work with the Department of Education and local education service providers. The IRPP also work closely with the HSE and local medical practitioners to endure medical cover when refugees are in EROCs or moving to the community.

The following table sets out the total funds invested in community migrant integration programmes, by location and organisation/project, for the past three years 2017, 2016 and 2015, including amounts committed in 2017 that will be disbursed in subsequent years. While the location of each funded organisation/project is provided, it is not possible to break this down further by Local Authority as the relevant data is not held in this way, and numerous funded projects are delivered on a regional or nationwide basis.

There are currently 14 projects approved under the National Funding Programme to promote the integration of migrants. Project objectives include: increasing mutual understanding between the host community and migrants; combatting racism and xenophobia; undertaking research on interculturalism; and promoting the integration of migrants into Irish society, particularly vulnerable or socially-excluded migrants.

The Communities Integration Fund will fund 131 initiatives in 2017 by community organisations to promote integration in their local communities. The aim is to support communities across Ireland to play a greater role in promoting integration by providing practical support to facilitate social inclusion among the migrant population.

There are a total of 20 projects receiving funding through the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and 5 projects through the ESF Integration and Employment of Migrants (IEM) funding.

In summary, the total funding to be provided by the Integration Unit, OPMI is as follows:-

Communities Integration Fund - 2017 only- €515,234.

National Funding for the Promotion of Integration of Immigrants 2017 - 2020 is €1,097,890.

The above amounts are broken down each year as follows:-

The following is a more detailed breakdown of all funding together with the Key to the various Fund Names:

CIF: Community Integration Fund

AMIF: Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund

NFPII: National Funding to Promote Integration of Immigrants

IEM: Integration and Employment of Migrants, (European Social Fund Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning)

ERF: European Refugee Fund

Funding Paid in 2017