Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 February 2012
506 Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide details on funding and grant opportunities available from him for community based organisations working in the area of integration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9321/12]
View answerConsideration will be given to conducting a call for applications under the European Fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals and the European Refugee Fund in the course of this year as many of the current projects are due to end.
As regards assistance which is not co-financed by the EU, the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration in my Department has channelled significant funding to local authorities, national sporting bodies and other national organisations in the period since 2008. The emphasis was, however, on bodies of this type and not on community-based organisations though a number of local authorities used their grants to provide assistance to such organisations.
This funding is continuing but on a limited scale because, as the Deputy will appreciate, our resources are reduced in line with public expenditure generally. There is unfortunately little or no scope at present to take on new projects.
