Developing immigrant integration policy in the Irish public sector: An international human rights and public sector duty approach

Abstract

This paper outlines a new approach to the development of immigrant integration policy in Ireland that is informed by an international human rights and public sector duty perspective. Based on a comprehensive review, the paper outlines the current state of immigrant integration policies in the Irish public sector, highlighting the limited awareness of this issue among public bodies. It also provides practical guidance for public bodies wishing to develop more effective immigrant integration policies, drawing from international human rights treaties and from examples of policy development in Ireland. Given the reality that Ireland is now a well-established immigrant-receiving country, the paper concludes that Ireland urgently needs a coherent and comprehensive approach to the development of immigrant integration policy. A human-rights-based approach offers such a method and would allow Ireland, through its public sector, to become a leader in immigrant integration policy development. This approach requires the elaboration of specific integration policies in order to ensure that migrant populations can practically access fundamental human rights such as housing, education, healthcare and employment.

Finding the Gap: Immigrant Integration Outcomes and Settlement Service Provision in the Republic of Ireland

“…However, there are also some important differences or divergences. While the Irish state has a discursive commitment to mainstreaming, our and other research highlight the limitations of this commitment in practice, whether through the lack of development of immigrant integration policies (Murphy et al, 2019) or the failure to provide adequate support to immigrants using public services (Crosscare, 2018). The commitment to mainstreaming in a range of European countries has resulted in the growing importance of the local level of governance for immigrant integration (Scholten et al, 2017, p.298).…”

Policy and practice targeting the labour market integration of non-EU nationals in Ireland

“…The projects that were selected to receive state funding, as well as the description of the funding calls, indicate integration priority at national level and correlate with certain actions in the migrant integration strategy. 176 Murphy et al (2017) note that despite a clear policy intent that integration policies and measures should be mainstreamed into the work of government departments, a recent survey of integration policies in the public sector found no clear evidence In November 2017, €485,226 was awarded through the Dormant Accounts Fund to seven projects nationwide to support the labour-market integration of female refugees and the female family members of refugees. This funding falls outside the scope of the current study.…”