Written answers
Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Departmental Programmes
Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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1182. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the targeted measures that are in place in Westmeath and Longford to support foreign nationals who are facing difficulties accessing local services due to lack of local resources. [46732/24]
Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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1183. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps his Department is taking to encourage social and cultural exchange between locals and foreign nationals in Longford and Westmeath to reduce any potential social tensions or isolation. [46733/24]
Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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1184. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures his Department is taking to address the specific challenges foreign nationals face regarding language barriers in schools, workplaces and in the community as a whole in Longford and Westmeath. [46734/24]
Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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1185. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the measures being put in place to ensure that rural communities are supported and adaptable to demographic change, given the increasing diversity in rural areas. [46736/24]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1182, 1183, 1184 and 1185 together.
Ireland is becoming ever more diverse and ongoing efforts are required across Government to ensure that Ireland is an equitable and inclusive place for all. Work is underway to develop a new national strategy for migrant integration, which will address ongoing and emerging needs in supporting integration in Ireland. To inform this work, my Department conducted public and targeted consultations to gain insights into the migrant experience in Ireland and better understand the challenges, needs and opportunities for supporting integration in the future.
Local Authority Integration Teams (LAITs) have been developed as a central part of a new Local Integration Model in collaboration with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA). LAITs have been established in each of the Local Authorities. These teams provide on-going support to international protection (IP) applicants, programme refugees, and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) to better enable them to engage with existing services and ultimately to live independently in the community. The role also includes providing information, advice, and guidance to individuals and identifying gaps in supports or services.
Both the Longford and Westmeath Local Authority Integration Teams have been active in visiting accommodation centres, giving walk-in clinics, workshops, and one to one sessions aimed at supporting the integration of International Protection Applicants, Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection, and Programme Refugees. These clinics and sessions have covered how to access language, educational, and employment supports as well as information on accessing health, transport, and other essential services. The LAITs have also been working towards more effective oversight and coordination of integration supports and services for these cohorts in their local authority areas.
In 2023 and 2024, several funding programmes were made available in order to support integration in Ireland, including the National Integration Fund (NIF), Communities Integration Fund (CIF) and International Protection Integration Fund (IPIF). Funding has been provided to 12 projects targeting County Westmeath and 16 projects targeting County Longford totalling nearly €1.1 million. These projects have supported integration into the community; language, educational, and employment supports; and access to services.
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