Mr David Stanton TD, Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality with special responsibility for Equality, Immigration and Integration, today announced funding of €10m for migrant integration and gender equality projects to be carried out over 2019-2022.
Two streams of funding are available with up to €4.5m from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund to further migrant integration and reception activities, and a further €5.5m from co-financing from the Department of Justice and Equality and the European Social Fund for gender equality projects and specifically projects to support women returning to work and women’s entrepreneurship.
Launching the Open Call for Proposals at the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, Minister Stanton said:
The organisations and projects that these funds will support have the chance to make a profound impact on the many people that will avail of them, offering some of the most excluded in our society the opportunity to have their circumstances improved.
This is the second tranche of funding made available from the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) with the first tranche having been allocated following an open call in late 2016. Following that call, 20 projects received funding from AMIF.
The Minister added:
The vision, hard work and expertise of those involved in providing these projects has enabled many asylum seekers, refugees, third country nationals and their families to access and engage with the supports and services they need to transition to a new life allowing them to integrate into their communities.’
A further 18 projects received funding from the Department and ESF. Referring to the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020, the Minister added:
As the ultimate aim of this strategy is the achievement of equality between women and men, it can be seen how important these grants are and will be to the overall work of the Department.
Applications can now be made online to the EU Funds Unit of the Department of Justice and Equality for these funds. Applications must be submitted electronically using the relevant application form so as to arrive before 12:00 noon on Friday 31st May 2019 for AMIF proposals and 12:00 noon on Tuesday 28th May 2019 for ESF proposals. The online Application Form and other relevant documentation/ information, including assessment criteria, can be accessed at http://eufunding.justice.ie/en/eufunding/pages/home.