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Refugee Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 October 2019

Tuesday, 15 October 2019

Ceisteanna (293)

Niall Collins

Ceist:

293. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of refugees to date accommodated here under the resettlement and relocation strands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42151/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Deputy will be aware that in September 2015, as part of Ireland's response to the migration crisis in central and southern Europe, the Government established the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP). Under this programme, the Government committed to accept up to 4,000 people into the State, primarily through a combination of the Relocation Programme established by two EU Council Decisions in 2015 to assist Italy and Greece, and the UNHCR-led Refugee Resettlement Programme, currently focussed on resettling refugees from Lebanon and Jordan.

The Government Decision to accept 4,000 people into the State did not specify a time-limit, but the EU Relocation Programme had a time limit of approximately two years. Ireland’s EU Relocation Programme concluded in March 2018. Overall, 1,022 people, including 6 unaccompanied minors, arrived here from Greece.

Under the Resettlement strand of the programme, Ireland committed to accept 1,040 programme refugees by the end of 2017. Approximately 255 of this group formed part of the 2018/2019 pledge to the EU, as it was not possible to resettle these refugees in 2017. The Government pledged to take 1,200 programme refugees from Lebanon between 2018 (255 as per above plus 345) and 2019 (600), bringing the total Resettlement commitment under the IRPP to 1,985. To date, 1,418 people have arrived under the Resettlement strand of the programme. Further arrivals are planned between now and the end of the year to admit the balance of the 1,985 people to be resettled.

So far, 2,115 people who arrived under the IRPP have been resettled in communities across Ireland. This represents more than 86% of the 2,440 arrivals so far under the Relocation and Resettlement strands of the programme.

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