Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 September 2021
284. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider increasing the intake of refugees from Afghanistan; if he is putting in place a programme to assist any unaccompanied minors coming from Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47253/21]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that, in response to the current crisis in Afghanistan, approximately 400 places have been made available by my Department for humanitarian cases from Afghanistan with priority being given to those working on human rights issues, including the rights of women, girls, and minorities, members of LGBT+ community, as well as those working with NGOs and European and international organisations, Human Rights Defenders and journalists. This cohort from Afghanistan are being admitted as Programme Refugees under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme of my Department.
These places are in addition to the pledge made by the Irish Government to welcome up to 2,900 refugees between 2020 and 2023 through resettlement (650 refugees in 2020, 700 in 2021, 750 in 2022, and 800 in 2023) the majority of whom are to be Syrian.
