Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 November 2016
46. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she is examining other safe and legal channels of migration into Ireland such as humanitarian visas, academic sponsorship, private sponsorship and a humanitarian admission programme; the status of these examinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33168/16]
View answerThe Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) was established by Government Decision on 10 September 2015 to focus Ireland’s response to the humanitarian crisis that developed in Southern Europe as a consequence of mass migration from areas of conflict in the Middle East and Africa. Under this programme, the Government has pledged to accept a total of 4,000 persons into the State by the end of 2017, through a combination of the EU relocation mechanism established by two EU Council Decisions in 2015 to assist Italy and Greece, and the UNHCR-led refugee resettlement programme currently focused on resettling refugees from camps in Lebanon. Persons accepted here under these Programmes will also have an entitlement to family reunification, thereby further increasing the numbers accepted by Ireland.
Significant resources are currently being invested in these humanitarian efforts through the offices of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, the Office of the Promotion of Migrant Integration and the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner. As a result we have developed mechanisms and associated expertise to deal with resettlement and relocation. Our response to the migrant crisis in terms of accepting refugees is through the IRPP and all available resources are being directed to that Programme in order to meet the commitment entered into and I have no plans, at this point, to introduce any additional admission programmes.
