Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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430. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department will consider providing sponsorship for the Christmas lights in Saggart, County Dublin, under his Department's integration remit given that Saggart hosts Ireland's only reception centre for refugees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56189/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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At present, there are no funding calls for proposals open in my Department to fund Christmas lights. My Department has held calls for proposals under two integration funding streams: the Community Integration Fund and the National Integration Fund.

The purpose of the Communities Integration Fund is to support communities across Ireland to play a greater role in promoting the integration of migrants. Annually a total of €500,000 is made available to local community-based organisations to carry out integration projects in their local areas. Organisations eligible to apply include local community groups, sports clubs, faith-based groups, arts groups, cultural organisations, and schools.  Applicant organisations must operate on a not-for-profit basis. This funding is used both for once-off initiatives and short- to medium-term projects.  Projects typically take an inclusive approach, aiming to bring migrants and host communities together, and are not directed solely to any one particular ethnic group or nationality.

The National Integration Fund arises from Action 6 of the Migrant Integration Strategy, which calls for funding to be made available to promote positive action initiatives to address areas where migrants find it difficult to avail of opportunities on an equal basis with other members of Irish society. The purpose of the National Integration Fund is to support communities across Ireland to play a greater role in promoting the integration of migrants at both a regional and national level. There will be another  funding call launched in 2023.