From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
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In order to promote the efficient management of migration flows and the implementation, strengthening and development of a common Union approach to asylum and immigration, the European Commission established the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) to provide funding for the period 2014-20.
A new AMIF programme covering the 2021-2027 period, with similar aims to the 2014-2020 programme is currently being finalised.
This Fund also provides financial resources for the activities and future development of the European Migration Network (EMN). More information is available on the European Commission’s website.
The AMIF Fund will contribute to the achievement of four specific objectives:
Funding is available for Reception, Integration and Capacity Building actions that address one or more of the National Objectives set out in Ireland’s National Programme AMIF (2014-2020). The National Programme includes examples of the types of actions that may be funded. Actions not specified in the National Programme may still be eligible for funding provided they address relevant Objective(s).
The AMIF Fund is managed by the Funds Administration Unit of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The Funds Administration Unit was designated to be the ‘Responsible Authority’ in Ireland for the AMIF by the Minister for Justice.
On 7 October 2019, Charlie Flanagan TD, former Minister for Justice and David Stanton TD, former Minister of State at the Department of Justice with responsibility for Integration, Immigration and Equality announced funding for the migrant integration projects which will provide a range of practical supports directly to migrants, including English language classes and workplace training. Anti-racism and cultural diversity initiatives will also receive funding.
Examples of the migrant integration projects selected for funding include:
Announcing the migrant integration funding, Minister Stanton said:
"I have already funded 20 projects, with total grants of €4.5m in 2017 to support migrant integration projects over a three-year period. I am continuing funding to some of these existing projects and have added some new ones as part of 19 projects allocated grant funding of €4.5m to cover 2019-22. These grants will support and bolster the good work being carried out every day by local community organisations and national NGOs in support of migrant integration, which is crucially important."
The below applicants were selected for grant offers following the open Calls for Proposals.
The 2019 application process is now closed. Please check back for updates on future application processes.
Please note the following Information and Guidance document should be used by organisations when completing applications:
Please note that the guidance document and grant agreement are the latest version and maybe subject to change. All funded projects must contribute to the achievement of the objectives and spending commitments set out in AMIF National Programme.
All applications are acknowledged upon receipt by the Funds Administration Unit.
Applications are assessed using fair and transparent procedures established by the Funds Administration Unit. The Proposals which meet the criteria and objectives of the Call and which score highest following assessment are selected for grant funding.
All applicants are given feedback on the outcome of the assessment of their application.
Following an Open Call process in 2016, €4.5 million was made available to 20 projects to be delivered in a three year period in multiple locations across Ireland by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and others, who were successful following an open Call for Proposals under the European Union Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
This funding was targeted at initiatives to promote the integration of non-EU migrants and to combat discrimination and racism. The migrant integration projects provide a range of practical supports directly to migrants, including English language classes and workplace training. Anti-racism and cultural diversity initiatives also received funding.
Examples of the migrant integration projects selected for funding include:
These projects initiated throughout 2017 and are currently completed. The Funds Administration Unit continues to monitor and evaluate the progress of the projects.
Specific details of the projects 2016 Open Call funded projects can be found here.
The European Social Fund (ESF) is Europe’s main tool for promoting employment and social inclusion – helping people get a job (or a better job), integrating disadvantaged people into society and ensuring fairer life opportunities for all. It does this by investing in Europe’s people and their skills – employed and jobless, young and old.
The Programme for Employability, 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 was launched in April of that year. The Programme involves a total investment of €1.157 billion; over €544 million each from the ESF and the Irish Government and a special allocation of just over €68 million from the EU’s Youth Employment Initiative.
In line with the investment priorities set out in the ESF Regulation, the key areas chosen for investment in Ireland revolve around activation of the unemployed, social and labour market inclusion, education and youth employment.
The department manages funding in two areas of activity under the PEIL 2014-2020, Priority 2: Social Inclusion and Equal Opportunities:
The Gender Equality activity area contains two separate strands a) Women Returning to the Workforce and b) Women’s Entrepreneurship.
Strand A - Women Returning to the Workforce: In line with the government’s ‘Action Plan for Jobs 2016’, the Department of Social Protection’s strategy ‘Pathways to Work 2016-2020’ has identified a group of people “who, although not classified as unemployed jobseekers, have the potential and the desire to play a more active role in the labour force” as a key target for job activation measures. Women in this category are the target participants for this activity.
Strand B - Women's Entrepreneurship: The government issued a National Policy Statement on Entrepreneurship in 2014, which recognises that ‘entrepreneurship is a key element in the health and wellbeing of any thriving economy and will be central to Ireland’s continuing recovery. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2017-2018 Report , reported that Irish men are 1.9 times more likely than Irish women to be an Early Stage Entrepreneur, compared with the European average of 1.7. The EU- 28 average ratio of 1.8:1 of men to women Early Stage Entrepreneurs suggest that there is still a pool of women entrepreneurs to be supported by this activity.
This activity is aimed at legally resident migrants who are experiencing barriers to participation and employment because of language difficulties, lack of training or social exclusion. It proposes to increase the levels of employability of the participants who can be EEA Nationals who are resident in Ireland and Third Country Nationals with permission to enter employment in Ireland.
On 16 October 2019 Charlie Flanagan TD, former Minister for Justice and Equality and David Stanton TD, former Minister of State at the Department of Justice with responsibility for Integration, Immigration and Equality announced new funding for Gender Equality projects. The gender equality projects aim to support women’s entrepreneurship and participation in the workforce through a range of training and mentoring initiatives.
Examples of the gender equality projects selected for funding include:
Announcing the gender equality funding, Minister Flanagan said:
"The €5.8m I am announcing today will support women’s participation in the workforce. It builds on the €5.5m funding awarded to 18 projects in 2017 and it will directly support disadvantaged women to access the labour market. It will also, I hope, help more women to become successful entrepreneurs."
He added:
"I am very encouraged by the progress to date and the continuing improvement in women’s participation in the workforce. However, women continue to have lower overall levels of participation in the workforce, are paid less and have less access to senior positions. Women are also less likely to own or manage their own businesses."
The below applicants were selected for grant offers following the open calls for proposals.
The application process is now closed. Please check back for updates on future application processes.
The following Information and Guidance document should be used by organisations when completing applications:
Please note that the guidance document and grant agreement are the latest version and maybe subject to change.
All funded projects must contribute to the achievement of the objectives and spending commitments set out in Ireland’s relevant ESF Activity Implementation Plans.
All applications are acknowledged upon receipt by the Funds Administration Unit.
Applications are assessed using fair and transparent procedures established by the Funds Administration Unit. The Proposals which meet the criteria and objectives of the Call and which score highest following assessment are selected for grant funding. Further information will then be sought prior to a Grant Agreement being drafted.
All applicants are given feedback on the outcome of the assessment of their application.
Please note: The Gender Equality Activity is managed by the Inclusion, Equality and Gender Equality Division of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The Funds Administration Unit will manage the day-to-day administration of the fund on behalf of Gender Equality Division.
Following an Open Call process in 2016, €5.2 million was made available to 18 projects to be delivered in a three-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 under the European Social Fund 2014-2020.
Under the European Social Fund, funding of €4 million over three years was made available for initiatives targeted at women currently detached from the labour market, but wish to take up paid employment. €1.2 million was made available for projects to support women’s entrepreneurship.
The gender equality projects support women’s entrepreneurship and participation in the workforce through a range of training and mentoring initiatives.
Examples of the gender equality projects selected for funding include:
Under the 2016 Call, Proposals were also sought under the Integration and Employment of Migrants priority area of the ESF. Grants totalling €3.3 million to promote integration and the employment of migrants were awarded to a total of 5 projects that would aim to increase the employability of migrants who may be experiencing barriers to entering the labour market here. The projects were to be delivered in 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.
Examples of the integration and employment of migrants projects selected for funding include:
The Gender Equality and Integration and Employment of Migrants projects initiated throughout 2017 are near completion. The Funds Administration Unit continues to monitor and evaluate the progress of the projects.
2022 ESF+ Open Call
Integration and Employment of Migrants
This Activity is aimed at legally resident migrants who are experiencing barriers to participation and employment because of language difficulties, lack of training or social exclusion. The Activity proposes to increase the levels of employability of the participants. The specific categories of persons targeted by this Activity are as follows:
‘Third-country national’ means any person who is not a citizen of the Union. Reference to TCN shall be understood to include stateless persons and persons with undetermined nationality.
Funding will be made available through the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (60% EU-funded, 40% Exchequer funded for projects located in the Northern and Western NUTS II Region with 40% EU funding and 60% exchequer funding for projects in all other areas) over the period of the programme.
Up to €2.7 million may be committed under this call, over 3 years.
Further ESF Programmes, covering the period 2021-2027 is in development, and will be launched in 2023.
