Joe O'Brien - Green Party Joe O'Brien - Green Party

Minister O’Brien welcomes funding announcement for 67 projects under the International Protection Integration Fund 2022

1st November, 2022

Minister for Community and Rural Development, Joe O’Brien, has welcomed the funding commitment which will support not-for-profit, civil society organisations in Fingal to support local and national integration projects for International Protection applicants.

The overall €1,621,467 in funding aims to enable community-based organisations across Ireland to play a greater role in supporting the integration of International Protection applicants at local and national level. This is the first year the grant has been made available and every county in Ireland stands to benefit from multiple projects.

Grants of up to €50,000 will be allocated to successful organisations to assist in the integration of International Protection Applicants via a range of projects designed to provide additional services and capacity to those in the International Protection system.

Welcoming the news, Minister O’Brien said:

“I am delighted to see organisations such as Foroige, the Open Doors Initiative and Empower, receiving funding that will help them in their work with International Protection Applicants. Their projects will build links between International Protection applicants and their host communities, encouraging meaningful integration that benefits communities in Fingal as a whole and I want to take this opportunity to thank all the not-for-profit organisations across the country for the work they do in this regard.”

The White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a new International Protection Support Service sets out the Government’s approach to fulfilling the commitment in the Programme for Government to end Direct Provision and to replace it with ‘a new International Protection accommodation policy centred on a not-for-profit approach. The fund represents the delivery of a key commitment of ‘A White Paper to End Direct Provision and to Establish a New International Protection Support Service’.

The White Paper sets out a number of key principles which are to underpin the new model of supports and services:

  • Integration from day one
  • Human rights and equality based
  • Delivery of high standards
  • Professional
  • Community engagement

The International Protection Integration Fund 2022 Funding Call is an important element in achieving the overall objectives of the White Paper and has been guided in design by the principles above.

Successful applicants were asked to demonstrate how their proposed project will build links between International Protection applicants and their host communities, breaking down barriers and encouraging meaningful integration that benefits the community as a whole.