The Minister of State for Equality, Immigration and Integration at the Department of Justice and Equality, Mr. David Stanton, today participated in “Promoting Political Engagement: Cork” at Millennium Hall, City Hall, Cork. The event brings together members of the migrant community with a panel of representatives from Irish political parties and groupings and seeks to inspire and equip participants to spread some key message among their communities:
- Everyone has the right to vote in local elections and it’s important to use this vote;
- Everyone also has the right to run in local elections and migrants are encouraged to either take this step themselves or encourage/support community members to do so.
The event is being held in partnership with a number of migrant organisations:
- Cork Migrant Centre, Love and Care for People, ThinkSpeakDo, Nasc, Cork City Partnership, Together Razem, New Communities, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare, University College Cork, IOM, AkiDwa, Cork City Council Social Inclusion Unit and Cork City of Sanctuary.
The event is being supported through funding from the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration at the Department of Justice and Equality.
Opening the event Minister Stanton stated:
This event represents our commitment to the goals of the Migrant Integration Strategy – “A Blueprint for the Future”, which was published by Government in February last year with broad support from all Parties. The strategy specifically challenges us, as public representatives with encouraging migrants to register to vote and exercise their franchise, and encouraging migrants to participate in local and national politics.
The overall vision of the strategy is that migrants are facilitated to play a full role in Irish society, that integration is a core principle of Irish life and that Irish society and institutions work together to promote integration, a crucial step towards this goal, is political participation.
Note for Editors
Increasing the level of political participation of migrants is a key theme in the Government’s Migrant Integration Strategy – A Blueprint for the Future. Within this theme, there are two specific actions which are directly addressed by today’s event:
Action 58 - “Migrants will be encouraged to participate in local and national politics to the extent that these areas are legally open to them”
Responsible Body: Political Parties
Timeframe: 2017-2020
Action 59- “Migrants will be supported and encouraged to register to vote and exercise their franchise”
Responsible Body: Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government
Timeframe: 2017-2020
The Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration (OPMI), in the Department of Justice and Equality has previously funded and supported similar events aimed at promoting the political participation of migrants.