Reception and Intregration Agency
The Reception and Integration Agency has responsibility for the reception and resettlement of persons admitted into Ireland under various Government Decisions. In the past this has included such groups as the Bosnians and Kosovars who were admitted under emergency evacuation programmes during the 1990s. The Reception and Integration Agency continues to support the most vulnerable members of these communities.
In 1998 the Government agreed to participate in the UNHCR Refugee Resettlement Programme. This Decision was taken following approaches by the UNHCR requesting that Ireland would admit, on an annual basis, a number of “special cases” refugees who do not come under the scope of Ireland's obligations under the Geneva Convention of 1951 as amended by the New York Protocol of 1957. Under this programme the Government has agreed to accept a small number of people and their close relatives for resettlement. These persons may already be refugees in another country but have been unable to find a permanent solution there.
The following table is an overview of persons admitted under Government programmes and does not relect the numbers currently in the country.
Year
Of arrival
Nos. admitted under Government Decisions
Country of Origin
1956
530
Hungary
1973
120
Chile
1979-00
803
Vietnam .. includes initial intake and family reunification
1985
26
Iran
1992-00
1341
Former Yugoslavia (Bosnia) includes initial intake and persons admitted under family reunification
1999-00
1063
Kosovo- includes initial intake and persons admitted under family reunification
Resettlement Quota under Government Decision
No. Approved
1998-04
(10 applicants per year plus immediate family members)
221
223
2005 (116)
116
115
2006 (200)
198
184
2007 (200)
200
114
* The number admitted each year may not correspond directly to the number approved. Some of those approved may not arrive until the following year(s).
Arrangements for the admission of persons under Government programmes differ depending on the type of programme. In cases where large groups are being evacuated in an emergency situation for temporary protection (e.g. the Kosovars in 1999), the new arrivals are usually placed in Reception Centres where their immediate accommodation, medical, social welfare, etc. needs are met. Persons admitted under this type of programme are admitted for a short period with a view to their returning to their country of origin when the crisis is over.
Persons admitted under the Resettlement Quota programme are admitted for permanent resettlement rather than for temporary protection. They may be accommodated on arrival (a) in private rented accommodation in a local community or (b) be accommodated in the National Orientation and Training Centre for a peiod of 8 weeks where they undergo training to prepare them for independent living in the community. Regardless of the type of reception accommodation, the new arrivals are supported in the early stages to ensure that they are aware of, and in receipt of, their statutory entitlements which are set down in section 3 of the Refugee Act, 1996 (as amended) which states
“ ...shall be entitled to the same rights and privileges as those conferred by law on persons generally who are not Irish Citizens (as distinct from such rights or privileges conferred on any particular person or group of such persons).”
The receiving communities are also prepared to receive the new arrivals to ensure that appropriate services (within available resources) are in place prior to the arrival of the resettled refugees in the community.
Vietnamese Programme
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Bosnian Programme
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Kosovar Programme