Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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110. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will report on the progress of the refugee programme and the work being carried out on the integration and welfare of refugees on the programme. [51753/17]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was established by Government Decision on 10 September 2015 as a direct response to the humanitarian crisis that developed in Southern Europe as a consequence of mass migration from areas of conflict in the Middle East and Africa.  Under this programme, the Government has pledged to accept a total of 4,000 persons into the State.  Of these, 2,622 were by means of the EU relocation mechanism established by two EU Council Decisions in 2015 to assist Italy and Greece.  A further 1,040 were to be sourced under the UNHCR-led refugee resettlement programme currently focussed on resettling refugees from Lebanon, and the balance through a variety of mechanisms.  It should be noted that Ireland voluntarily opted into the two EU Council Decisions on Relocation (2015/1523) and (2015/1601), which provided for the relocation of 160,000 asylum seekers from Italy and Greece.

Under the resettlement strand of the Programme, 357 persons arrived in Ireland during 2016.  Taken together with the previous year's intake, Ireland had taken in 519 of its original commitment of 520 by the end of 2016, a year ahead of schedule.  Last year, the Government doubled its commitment under resettlement to 1,040 and the total to have arrived from Lebanon under refugee resettlement now stands at 785.  I recently announced that Ireland will take in a further 345 refugees in 2018, bringing the total to 1,385.  These additional commitments can be made because relocation will not deliver the numbers that the Commission envisioned.

Ireland committed to accept 2,622 asylum seekers under the relocation strand of the programme. This total is composed of 1,089 people from Greece, 623 people from Italy and 910 people as yet unallocated.

Ireland will meet in full its commitment to Greece.  693 of the allocation of 1,089 are already in the State, with a further 62 persons scheduled for arrival in December 2017.  By early 2018, it is expected that Ireland will have relocated its entire cohort from Greece (1,089), subject of course to the Greek authorities submitting the small number of remaining case files to Ireland and the ability of local authorities to find homes in communities around Ireland.

However, Italy, unlike Greece, did  not permit security assessments to be undertaken by other States on its territory. Accordingly, Ireland has been unable to undertake security assessments in Italy of the asylum seeker cohort eligible for relocation to Ireland.  It has therefore not been possible for Ireland to take asylum seekers from Italy despite the most intensive efforts by Ireland to resolve the impasse, both bilaterally with Italian counterparts at official, diplomatic and Ministerial level, and at EU level.

In terms of the unallocated portion contained in the two EU Council Decisions referred to above, which in the case of Ireland amounts to  910 persons,  Ireland could not access this component because no decision was ever taken at EU level to allocate these numbers as between Greece and Italy.  In fact, by the end of the two-year EU Relocation Programme in September 2017, just 37,000 asylum seekers were eligible and registered for relocation in Italy and Greece out of an total of 160,000 comprehended in the two Council Decisions, of which 78% (approximately 29,000) had been relocated to other EU Member States including Ireland. It should be noted that proportionally Ireland has taken one of the highest numbers under the EU Relocation Programme. Once the final transfers from Greece take place early next year, Ireland will have relocated more than 3% of the EU’s total figure. This represents a strong commitment by Ireland to EU solidarity, given that we represent less than 1% of the total population of the EU. 

Ireland has worked to give effect to the EU relocation Decisions and will fill any gaps arising from the relocation instruments using other mechanisms such as pledges for resettlement of programme refugees.  

With regard to the integration and welfare of refugees in the Programme, following their arrival in Ireland, they are for a time accommodated in an Emergency Reception and Orientation Centre (EROC).  As the name suggests, an EROC is largely about reception and orientation for those who are to be subsequently settled around the country. IRPP staff hold regular clinics in the EROCs, often at weekly intervals, at which individuals and families may discuss their needs and requirements.

Some of the key features of supports provided to persons under the Programme include:

- IRPP staff and interpreters, along with representatives of the Irish Red Cross,  meet families and individuals upon arrival at Dublin Airport and accompany them to their accommodation in the Emergency Reception and Orientation Centre.

- During the days following arrival in Ireland the asylum seekers are registered with the Department of Social Protection for a public services card and receive an exceptional needs payment (ENP).

- IRPP officials provide assistance to ensure that families and individuals receive a medical card.

- IRPP liaise with the local Education and Training Board in each catchment area to ensure that groups receive a Language Training and Cultural Orientation programme.

- Local Service Providers, volunteers and NGOs visit the Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres to provide services and information and to support and befriend the asylum seekers/refugees.

- A GP is assigned to the individuals and families to ensure that that their immediate      medical needs are met including referral to dental and optical services.

- Free Childcare is provided wherever possible to allow the adults to attend the Language and Orientation programme in their EROC.

- Education provision is made for school age children by the Department of Education and Skills.

- Emergency medical matters are followed up while resident in the EROCs.

- Once the asylum seekers receive refugee status and when housing is made available with the support of the Local Authority, the refugees are resettled in the community. Upon the first movement of a family to a local community, IRPP support workers remain in the area for a number of days to help the family settle in and to manage the necessary introductions to various service providers. Every local authority in which a resettlement takes place also appoints an “implementing partner” which is funded by the IRPP and the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). Under this arrangement, each family has the support of a full-time Resettlement Support Worker and an Intercultural Support Worker to assist with the transition. Local authorities also receive funding to provide for exceptional needs such as counselling,  transport and other supports.

Increasingly, the Programme is focusing on initiatives which assist with labour market activation for refugees and is working with the Irish Red Cross and other bodies to facilitate access to employment. Various initiatives are also developing in the educational sphere.

The current model of integration and support under the Programme is one which will evolve and develop over the coming months and years with a view to offering refugees increasing opportunities to enhance their own lives.  However, I am very supportive of initiatives such as community sponsorship to support the long-term integration process and my officials are actively working with various NGO groups with the intention of implementing such a programme in 2018.  Such a programme has already been highly successful in Canada.

With regard to integration more generally, the Migrant Integration Strategy which was published on 7 February 2017 sets out the Government’s approach to the issue of migrant integration for the period from 2017 to 2020.  It envisages a whole-of-Government approach involving actions by all Departments.  It is targeted at all migrants, including refugees, who are legally residing in the State. 

The Strategy sets as its vision that migrants are facilitated to play a full role in Irish society, that integration is a core principle of Irish life and that Irish society and institutions work together to promote integration.  Integration is understood to be a two-way process that involves action by migrants as well as by Irish society.

The Strategy contains 76 actions under a variety of themes including citizenship and residency, access to public services and social inclusion, education, employment and pathways to work, health, integration in the community, political participation, promoting intercultural awareness and combating racism and xenophobia, volunteering and sport.

It is intended that the actions will be delivered by Government Departments, local authorities, public bodies, local communities, the business sector, sporting and arts organisations and NGOs.