Families have begun to arrive in Donegal under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme and these first families are being housed in Carndonagh.
The Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration has been engaging with Donegal County Council with a view to facilitating the resettlement of families under this Programme and although progress had been delayed as a result of the flooding in August, the programme is now being progressed.
The Irish Refugee Protection Programme is designed to offer protection to persons who have fled their country of origin and sought protection in another country, with services being provided post arrival by mainstream public service providers in cooperation with national and local Non-Government Organisations and the Community and Voluntary Sector.
A local Resettlement Inter-Agency Steering Group, comprised of representatives from relevant public service providers has been working with the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration (OPMI) to oversee the local resettlement and integration programme in Donegal and dedicated resources have been employed to facilitate the resettlement of these families.
It is expected that about thirty families will be coming to Donegal.
Donegal County Council would like to acknowledge the support provided by all organisations and agencies involved in this process and especially the positive community response received to date. The aim is now to support each of these families in their resettlement and we ask that these families are given the time and space to allow them to settle into their new life here in Donegal.
