The EU Funds Unit of the Department of Justice is responsible for the administration of specific EU Funds on behalf of both the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration (OPMI) and the Gender Equality Division, of the Department of Justice. The Unit is responsible for issuing Calls for Proposals; receiving and assessing applications; and monitoring the implementation of funded projects. It is not responsible for taking decisions on which projects to fund as this remains the responsibility of the Office for the Promotion of Migration Integration (for integration funding) and the Gender Equality division (for gender equality funding) of the Department of Justice
Integration funding under AMIF
The general objective of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund 2014-2020 (AMIF) is to make the management of migration flows across the EU easier. The Fund aims to do this in a number of ways as follows:
- By helping improve the Common European Asylum System
- By helping promote legal migration without diminishing the immigration systems of Member States
- By helping promote effective integration of third country nationals
- By helping improve the strategies of EU Member States for returning illegal immigrants in EU Member States
- By helping EU Member States cooperate and share responsibility in cases of mass migration
Ireland’s National AMIF Programme was approved by the European Commission on 21 March 2016. AMIF National Programme 6.2. The EU Funds Unit in the Department of Justice has been designated as Ireland’s Responsible Authority for the AMIF. The funding available to Ireland under the AMIF will be used over the lifetime of the Programme – the eligibility period extends to 2022 – to support actions that will help to achieve the National Objectives set out in the Programme. In 2016, a Call for Proposals was issued and 20 Projects were selected from 45 applicants. Over €4.5 million was committed under this call. Click here for more on Integration Projects funded through AMIF
Integration funding under ESF PEIL
The Programme for Employment, Inclusion and Learning, PEIL for short, is the only ESF programme in Ireland for the 2014 to 2020 period. It was formally approved by the European Commission in February 2015 and launched in April of that year. The Programme involves a total investment of €1.157 billion; over €544 million each from ESF and the Irish Government and a special allocation of just over €68 million from the EU's Youth Employment Initiative.
Under ESF Peil, grants totalling €3.3 million to promote integration and the employment of migrants have been awarded to a total of 5 projects. The projects are being delivered over a four year period in multiple locations across Ireland by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), locally based community groups, and others, who were successful following an open Call for Proposals for funding under the European Social Fund 2014 - 2020. Click here for more on Integration Projects funded through ESF PEIL
How to apply for EU Funding for Integration projects
Funding applications can only be accepted during Open Calls for Proposals using the official Application Forms emailed to the EU Funds Unit by the closing date of applications. Applications for funding cannot be accepted at any other times. Calls for Proposals under AMIF and ESF PEIL Integration and Employment of Migrants and Gender Equality Activities are now open and Forms and Guidance can be downloaded from EU Funds Unit Forms.
The Call under AMIF is supported by the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund 2014-2020.
The Calls under ESF PEIL are part supported by the Irish Government and the European Social Fund Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020
