Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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1524. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he intends to expand the remit of the IRPP to include Rohingya refugees unable to return to Myanmar; if there are criteria under which a person from the Rohingya group may access the IRPP programme; if so, if his officials may communicate this with individuals from this community who are awaiting information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45260/25]

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) is a key part of Ireland’s response to the global humanitarian migration crisis in central and southern Europe. Since it was established in 2015, the IRPP has supported more than 4,500 refugees to resettle in Ireland.

People are referred to the IRPP by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) after they have been granted refugee status under the 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention.

They are then brought to Ireland for resettlement, following a joint IRPP/An Garda Síochána selection mission held in their first country of asylum.

Arrivals under the programme have primarily concentrated on Syrian nationals up to this point, and separately the humanitarian admission of Afghan nationals arising since 2021.

The Irish Refugee Protection Programme carried out a selection mission in Bangladesh in late 2024 with support from An Garda Síochána. Rohingya refugees currently living in a UNHCR refugee camp in Bangladesh were interviewed to assess suitability for resettlement to Ireland. Those cases that were accepted as a result of the selection mission will be resettled to Ireland in due course.

The UNHCR determines the refugees who are referred to any country for resettlement; a refugee cannot directly make a resettlement request to an individual country.

Upon arrival, the refugees are generally accommodated in Reception and Orientation Centres provided by the Department to facilitate initial orientation and access to services for their welfare.

A whole of Government approach to Irish resettlement is in place, whereby multiple Departments collaborate to ensure the effective long term integration of the resettled refugees.