Parliamentary Question addressed to the Minister for Finance

To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to respond positively to the Council of Europe Development Bank request to supplement their proposed new grant facility to finance emergency reception and transit centres of asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement on the matter?

Reply

The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) recently announced that it proposes to establish a new “Migrant and Refugee Fund” grant facility to finance transit and reception centres in countries affected by the unprecedented influx of refugees into Europe. The proposal for a new Fund is consistent with the primary mandate of the CEB which is to help its Member States address social problems resulting from the presence of refugees, displaced persons or migrants.

Subject to the approval of its governing bodies, the CEB proposes initially to endow the new fund with €5 million in seed money. In addition, the Bank’s Member States and other potential donors have been invited to support the initiative with a grant contribution, with the CEB expecting to raise an additional €20 million.

The CEB has started consultations with its Member States with a view to activating this fund as well as identifying suitable projects to which the fund might contribute. Ireland will engage positively in this process and my Department will engage directly with the CEB to take this forward, in consultation, in particular, with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Justice and Equality. A final decision on participation in the new Fund will require to be taken in due course by the Government, informed inter alia by these consultations and by the approach to be taken in respect of the implementation of the new Irish Refugee Protection Programme.