Ireland

Highlights

Compilation of available statistical data indicates that the arrivals to Europe through the Mediterranean in the first eight months of 2017 is lower when compared to the same period in 2016. As of 31 August 2017, national authorities in Greece, Italy, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Spain registered 131,167 newly arrived migrants mostly from the Middle East, Africa, South and Central Asia which is in a sharp contrast to 297,255 recorded during the same period in 2016 (56% decrease).

"Integration happens faster and better when a community is involved"

By Ruairi Casey

NEW YORK, Sept 19 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Britain and Argentina are among a growing number of countries allowing ordinary citizens to pay for refugee care, lodging and other assistance, as global resettlement needs outstrip places available 13-fold, a Canadian-led initiative said.

Trends and key figures

The UN Refugee Agency has welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan, that Ireland will accept an additional 330 refugees in 2018.

Young refugees and Irish teens have spent a week together at sea, learning to sail a 70-foot schooner.

By Jody Clarke in Baltimore, Ireland

On command, a group of teenagers strides forward and grasps the ropes of the main mast on the 70-foot schooner Spirit of Oysterhaven.

“Okay, let’s hustle,” shouts Shauna Gillan, first mate and second-in-command. “Omran, Hamza, you’re going to hoist the sail,” she orders, standing steady on the rocking deck.

Introduction

Trends and key figures

In response to overwhelming levels of humanitarian suffering across the globe, Ireland has given an extra €9 million in funding to one of our key humanitarian partners - the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). This new contribution brings our total support to the CERF to €22 million this year alone and shows Ireland’s strong commitment to saving lives through humanitarian assistance.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney T.D., and Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciarán Cannon T.D., today expressed solidarity with those affected by floods and mudslides in Sierra Leone.

25,392 Total persons relocated
17,457 Relocated from Greece (26% of 66,400)
7,935 Relocated from Italy (20% of 39,600)

Severe humanitarian crises are affecting a number of countries across East Africa – in large parts of Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Kenya millions of people are living in dire circumstances. These crises are driven by drought and conflict, often resulting in large-scale displacement of people from their homes. Ireland is responding to the crises through our humanitarian assistance programme, managed by Irish Aid.

Developments

Highlights

According to available data, in the first half of 2017, there were more than 100,000 arrivals to Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Spain (101,559). This represents a 58% decrease when compared to the same period in 2016 when 239,925 arrivals were registered. This is mainly due to the sharpe decrease in arrivals to Greece.

900 vulnerable women assisted by FAO to improve nutrition and rebuild economic self-reliance

12 July 2017, Maiduguri – To strengthen resilience of communities from the loss of livestock assets, FAO distributed 3600 goats to improve household nutrition and rebuild livelihood of vulnerable communities. Around 900 vulnerable women including some from women headed households are being assisted.

Key Concerns
- The EU-Turkey plan is not designed in the best interests of refugees and asylum seekers, including Syrian civilians, but is instead focuses on containing the flow of displaced people trying to reach European countries.
- The plan has the potential to seriously erode the crucial protection for refugees afforded them under international law by designating Turkey a safe third country– leading to potential violation of the principle of non-refoulement.

Kampala, Uganda, 17 June 2017 - The Government of Ireland completed yesterday the airlifting of essential relief items worth €500,000 (more than 2 billion UGX) to support South Sudanese refugees in Uganda. This critically needed assistance includes blankets, shelter construction materials, cooking sets and mosquito nets.

Highlights

According to available data, there have been 72,377 new arrivals to Greece,
Italy, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Spain between 1 January and 31 May 2017.

Until 31 May 2017, there were estimated 60,228 cumulative arrivals to Italy, compared to 47,851 arrivals recorded at the end of the same month in 2016 (26% increase). Contrary to that, Greece has seen a 95% lower number of arrivals by the end May 2017 when compared to the same period 2016 (8,025 and 158,461 respectively).

This week, Ireland is dispatching over 100 tonnes of humanitarian supplies to Uganda to help refugees from South Sudan, who have been forced to flee their homes by continuing conflict, violence and acute hunger. Two airlifts will fly supplies, including tarpaulins for shelter, blankets, cooking sets, and mosquito nets, to Entebbe in Uganda for distribution to refugee camps hosting South Sudanese refugees.