Migration Nation: Barriers to integration for asylum-seekers in Ireland

Abstract

Issues relating to the welfare of asylum-seekers are relatively recent in the Irish context. This is largely due to the historically low numbers of people seeking refuge in Ireland for a variety of geographical and administrative reasons. This piece focuses on one such administrative issue, the continued struggle at national level to design and implement a fair and transparent policy to process and accommodate asylum-seekers. Specifically, this piece looks at the integration strategies of two local authorities to investigate whether the initiatives outlined within these strategies sufficiently address the needs of those within the asylum system. The initiatives were implemented in accordance with a national statement outlining the need for integration strategies for migrants into Ireland. The piece offers a qualitative analysis of two integration strategies in Clare and Limerick with the purpose of ascertaining whether these initiatives sufficiently address the needs of those within the asylum system.