Role of the Office of the Minister for Integration


The Office of the Minister for Integration has a cross-Departmental mandate to develop, drive and co-ordinate integration policy across other Government Departments, agencies and services. The Minister's functions include the promotion of the integration of legal immigrants into Irish society, the establishment of new structures for this purpose, the management of the resettlement of refugees admitted as part of the United Nations Resettlement Programme and the administration of funding from national and EU sources to promote integration.

Ireland adopts a policy of mainstream service provision in the integration area while recognising the need for targeted initiatives to meet specific short-term needs. Overall responsibility for the promotion and coordination of integration measures for legally resident immigrants rests with the Office of the Minister for Integration but, in general, the actual delivery of integration services is the responsibility of mainstream Government Departments.

The Role of the Office of the Minister for Integration includes the following:
  • Developing appropriate governance structures to successfully implement its integration mandate.
  • Development of overall integration policy.
  • General co-ordination role and ‘‘leading’’ on integration initiatives particularly in relation to international developments.
  • Co-ordinating EU links.
  • Promoting and co-ordinating solutions to cross-cutting problems.
  • Arranging timely meetings of the Cross-Departmental Group on Integration chaired by the Minister for Integration.
  • Ensuring synergy between overarching strategies and developing guidelines on funding, language, information provision, etc.
  • Funding — only if outside funding brief of other Government Departments.
  • Ensuring that the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Social Inclusion, Children and Integration is kept informed of progress.


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