Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024
1330. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide details of the amount of funding allocated to local authorities for the integration of IPAS and BOTP; what the funding was spent on, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56606/23]
View answerIreland is currently accommodating over 101,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection (IP) applicants. This includes nearly 75,000 Ukrainian people who have sought accommodation from the State and over 26,000 IP applicants currently in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation.
The Programme for Government committed to developing and implementing a successor to the Migrant Integration Strategy, which concluded in 2021. Work is currently under way to develop a new national strategy, which will build on the momentum of its predecessor and will address ongoing and emerging needs in supporting migrant integration in Ireland. It is intended that this strategy will be published in early 2025.
A new local integration model has been developed in collaboration with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), the City and County Management Authority (CCMA) and the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA). The model centres on a new national network of four person Local Authority Integration Teams (LAITs), funded by DCEDIY, to be located in each local authority, to better help IP applicants engage with existing local services. The teams will provide supports to IP Applicants, Programme Refugees and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs). The cost per Local Authority for the LAITs is €330,000. This includes funding for one Integration Support Coordinator, two Integration Support Workers and one Administrative support. Recruitment for the LAITs is under way by individual Local Authorities.
