The overarching guiding principle of Galway City Council’s Local Authority Integration Team (LAIT) is ‘Integration from day one’. Our main aim is to focus on empowering individuals who are Applicants for International Protection, those with Refugee, Subsidiary Protection, Permission to remain status, Programme Refugees and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection to ultimately live independently in communities across Galway.
The team consists of an Integration Support Coordinator, two Integration Support Workers and an Assistant Staff Officer. We aim to link people in any of these groups with local service providers appropriate to the needs of the person. We will act as the direct point of contact to provide information, guidance and advice to queries, as they arise.
The Integration team will provide signposting to services one needs to access employment and training, to develop English language proficiency, access childcare and healthcare services and to connect to sporting, voluntary or any other community activities.
If you have a query or would like support from our team, you can email integrationsupport@galwaycity.ie
If you are resident in a direct provision centre in Galway city you can ask the centre manager as to when the next integration team clinic is being held in your centre, our posters are displayed on the noticeboards in centres across the city.
LAIT Frequently Asked Questions
This section is intended to answer possible questions that you may have regarding our service.
Who is considered an International Protection Applicant?
International protection is a commonly used phrase in EU law which refers to both refugee and subsidiary protection statuses. A person who claims asylum in Ireland and is seeking international protection from persecution or serious harm in their home country is called an International Protection Applicant.
Who is considered a refugee or a person with subsidiary protection, or permission to remain status?
A refugee is a person who has a well-founded fear of persecution on account of one of five reasons (race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion). A person can also receive ‘subsidiary protection’ if they were at risk of suffering serious harm in their country. If a person does not qualify for either refugee status or subsidiary protection, they may be granted permission to remain. This status may be granted at the discretion of the Minister for Justice on humanitarian grounds, or for some other compelling reason.
Who is considered a Programme Refugee?
A Programme Refugee is a person who has been invited to Ireland under a Government decision in response to a humanitarian request, usually from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), either for the purposes of temporary protection or resettlement.
Who is considered a Beneficiary of Temporary Protection?
The European Council decided to activate the Temporary Protection Directive on 4th March, 2022. This European law was originally passed up in the aftermath of the Yugoslav war and was designed to be used in the event of a “mass influx or imminent mass influx” of people coming into the EU. It aims to offer immediate help to large groups of people by granting a form of collective protection status.
Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection in Ireland are those who have fled Ukraine and meet the eligibility requirements. You can find more on this here.