Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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1038. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of cases in respect of which satisfactory integration programmes have been initiated in each particular area throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48139/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Dear Deputy, My Department in collaboration with the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), the City and County Management Association (CCMA) and the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) have developed a new local integration model. The Department is providing funding to each Local Authority to establish a Local Authority Integration Team (LAIT). The primary role of the LAITs is to provide ongoing integration supports to IP applicants, Programme Refugees and BOTP to enable them to live independently in the community. The LAITs are not intended to replace mainstream service provision but to support IP applicants, Programme Refugees and BOTP in accessing mainstream services.

In addition, my Department administers a number of funding streams addressing integration.

The National Integration Fund (NIF) has the goal of supporting communities across Ireland to play a greater role in promoting the integration of migrants is open to organisations operating at regional and national level.The NIF themes of enhancing employment opportunities for migrants, with a focus on language acquisition; promoting representation of migrants in politics; and encouraging migrant participation in sport, volunteering and cultural activities. Approximately €750,000 is committed per year, subject to the availability of funds. The minimum annual grant amount that can be applied for will be €25,000, and grants may range up to €200,000 over the lifetime of the project. Applications have just closed for the 2023 version of the fund. See below the organisations granted funding in the 2020 Funding Call and completing their work over the last 3 years.

The Communities Integration Fund (CIF) has been in place since 2017 and arises from Action 51 of the Migrant Integration Strategy which states: “A Communities Integration Fund will be developed to support actions by local communities throughout Ireland to promote the integration of migrants and refugees”. Grant funding of €1,000 to €5,000 is mad available for local integration initiatives. Since its inception, the CIF has supported over 820 projects, with grant funding totalling €3.82 million. CIF 2023 awarded 111 organisations once off grant payments, with a total value of €509,415. See the table below for this year’s successful organisations and projects.

My department launched the Ireland Against Racism Fund(IARF) in 2023. IARF in its first year, has made €1.3 million available to applicant groups operating at national, regional and local level. IARF has the overall objective of providing funding for national and regional projects, as well as local initiatives, that aim to combat racism and foster racial equality and community cohesion. There are two streams of funding;

Scheme A provides grants, ranging from €50,000 to €100,000, to organisations for national and regional projects.

Scheme B provides grants, ranging from €5,000 to €10,000, to organisations for local projects.

The results of the 2023 funding call were issued in September. A combined total of 24 national & regional projects were successful and can be seen in the below tables:

Successful Projects - Scheme A

Successful Projects - Scheme B

The International Protection Integration Fund (IPIF)has a goal to support communities across Ireland so they can play a greater role in promoting the integration of International Protection applicants. Annually, a total starting at €500,000 is made available to community-based organisations to carry out integration projects at a national, provincial or local level. Grants ranging from €5,000 to €20,000 are made available to successful organisations. This year 70 projects are set to receive €1,200,776 in funding. Organisations eligible to apply include local community groups, charities, faith-based groups, schools and cultural organisations. Applicant organisations must operate on a not-for-profit basis. See the below table of successful organisations from the 2023 funding call.

The International Decade for People of African Descent (IDPAD) Funding Callwas a once off funding call held this year to provide funding to support community organisations hosting local, regional and national events to mark and celebrate the Decade. The IDPAD has been planned by the Department in celebration of the ‘International Decade for People of African Descent’, effective through 2015-2024 under resolution 68/237 of the UN General Assembly. A table of the successful projects can be seen below, for this once off fund.

In 2022, my Department launched a Call for Proposals under the Integration and Employment of Migrantsstream of the European Social Fund Plus 2021-2027 Programme, as part of Ireland’s ‘Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training’ (EIST) Programme. The Call for Proposals was for a total fund of €2.7m and was seeking 3-year projects to support eligible migrants to secure employment. The table of successful applicants and their locations is set out below:

In 2022, My Department launched a closed Call for Proposals under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund(AMIF) among organisations which had been approved funding under the 2019 AMIF Call for Proposals. The context was that many front-line organisations providing supports to migrants were experiencing a substantial increase in demand arising from the influx of Ukrainian Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection. Total grants awarded under this Call for Proposals amounted to €2.8m and the funding is designed to support these organisations and ensure that appropriate services are delivered as required. The €2.8m included €2.1m from the AMIF Programme, and the balance is National Funding. The Table below sets out the successful applicants and their locations.

In addition to the above, on 20^thof October 2023, My Department launched a Call for Proposals under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund(AMIF) in the amount of €10m, to fund 4-year projects providing Reception and Integration supports to third country nationals. The closing date for applicants is 12:00 noon on Friday 1^stDecember 2023.