Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 September 2023
37. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Taoiseach for an update on the status of the project to develop a national model that will help support communication with communities where accommodation centres are opening. [41723/23]
View answerThe State is providing emergency humanitarian assistance to the more than 110,000 people from Ukraine and asylum seekers from elsewhere who have arrived here.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of communities across Ireland, over 94,000 persons seeking refuge have been successfully accommodated, and that number continues to increase.
We are focusing on more effective ways to improve communications and community engagement on the humanitarian response. We are also putting in place a new model to assist with better communication.
A new Community Engagement Team, based in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has now been established and is working across Government with communities, local Government and other major stakeholders to assist with better communication regarding migration in general and regarding the opening of new accommodation centres for those seeking refuge in Ireland.
This new model aims to take a more proactive approach where possible to engaging with communities and communicating clear messaging and accurate information. The Team is actively engaged on a number of planned openings and will build on this model over the coming weeks.
In addition to this, Community Response Fora have been set up in every local authority to coordinate community-led assistance. Work is also ongoing at local authority level to establish integration teams in each local authority to provide assistance to persons seeking international protection.
We will continue to progress this community engagement model through the Senior Officials Group in the Department of the Taoiseach and through ongoing coordination across Government and agencies and in local government.
