Press release
Minister Joe O’Brien launches a public consultation on migrant integration strategy
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister of State for Community Development, Integration and Charities, Joe O’Brien, today has launched a public consultation on migrant integration strategy. The consultation seeks input from the public to inform the development of a new national strategy for migrant integration.
Anyone with an interest in migrant integration is invited to participate in an online survey, which can be accessed at Public Consultation to inform a national strategy for migrant integration. The public consultation will be open for a six week period from 20 October 2023 to 30 November 2023.
Referring to the consultation, Minister O’Brien said:
“I am delighted to launch a public consultation on migrant integration. This consultation will help to determine the challenges, needs and opportunities in supporting and promoting migrant integration. The increased diversity of Ireland’s population is a great strength and it is not without its challenges; this is an important opportunity for everyone to have a say in how we support an equal, inclusive and thriving society.
"The new strategy will be an especially important one as we plot the course forward following the arrival of significant numbers of people from across the world seeking protection and safety over the last two years. It is clear that going forward Ireland will need more people and we need to ensure that when people are making Ireland their home, that it is a home that is an inclusive one.”
The questionnaire has been translated into nine languages; Irish, Arabic, French, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish and Ukrainian. Organisations wishing to make a detailed submission, can find further details at Public Consultation to inform a national strategy for migrant integration.
The Migrant Integration Strategy (MIS) was launched in 2017 and concluded at the end of 2021, following a one-year extension in response to COVID-19.
The Strategy served as the government's primary policy framework supporting the integration of all migrants and their Irish-born children. The Strategy aimed to enhance diversity, inclusion and equity for migrants across all aspects of Irish society. The Strategy also emphasised social inclusion initiatives, increased access to public resources, and efforts to combat racism and xenophobia while promoting integration and social cohesion locally.
The Programme for Government committed to the development of a successor strategy to the MIS. Work is currently underway to develop a new strategy and the public consultation will inform this work.