Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
792. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department has conducted an assessment of the impact of large-scale direct provision centres on local Garda resources and community cohesion in rural towns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38960/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department's Community Engagement Team (CET) was established in late 2023 to engage directly with elected representatives, local authorities, An Garda Síochána, community members, and other service providers in advance of a new centre opening.
In relation to larger State-owned sites, the model of engagement has been developed to plan for more meaningful dialogue to support these larger centres, particularly those on state-owned lands being developed under Government policy to move away from dependence on commercial providers.
The CET team also links with other stakeholders outside of immediate openings of centres to build relationships and networks with key groups. This includes meetings with Community Integration Fora, Local Development Companies (LDCs) and other non-governmental organisations.
The team engages with central government Departments and local services to provide information to assist with planning and activation of services. Different sites have different engagement needs and the team aims to be flexible to meet the needs of the community. Many communities are working with the team on openings of centres across the country and are happy to manage and facilitate new arrivals themselves with support from local authorities, local development companies or indeed other community groups. We are grateful for this support.
As part of the Programme for Government 2025, Securing Ireland’s Future, there is a commitment to expand the work of the CET to provide for detailed discussions with communities and to plan more effectively for delivery of increased public services.
My Department runs a number of funding schemes to support and enable migrant integration in Ireland.
Finally, the Programme for Government 2025 provides a commitment to developing a new Migration and Integration Strategy for Ireland, detailing how we intend to meet the demands and the opportunities facing our society and economy over the next decade. Work is well advanced on this project, with a view to the Strategy being launched later this year.
