INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE HUMANITY & MANAGEMENT RESEARCH
ISSN (p in ) 2833-2172, ISSN (online) 2833-2180
Volume 04 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025
Impac Fac o : 6.79 ,10.58806/ijsshm .2025 4i10n07DOI:
Page No. 1911-1917
IJSSHMR, Volume 04 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025 www.ijsshm .com Page 1911
E alua ing he Impac o Communi y Sponso ship on Re ugee Rese lemen
in I eland
Mohammad Ayub Shah eya
28 WA, MOSNEY VILLAGE, JULIANSTOWN, CO. MEATH, A92ED6V
ABSTRACT: This esea ch aimed o ind whe he he Communi y Sponso ship I eland has posi i ely impac ed on Re ugee
Rese lemen in I eland. To explo e his, he esea ch d ew in o a ange o p ima y and seconda y sou ces. I also inco po a ed he
e ugee s o ies in I eland and in e iews wi h h ee Communi y Sponso ship bene icia ies, na ional suppo o ganiza ions, and
membe s o a sponso ship g oup.
This esea ch is s uc u ed in o ou pa s. The i s pa p o ides an o e iew o Communi y Sponso ship in I eland, including i s
de ini ion, his o ical backg ound, and he policy amewo k. The second pa explo es he impac o communi y sponso ship, wi h
a pa icula ocus on i s social and economic e ec s on e ugees. The hi d pa analyzes he challenges and limi a ions o he CSI.
Finally, he ou h pa o e s ecommenda ions o s eng hening his ini ia i e in I eland.
The inding sugges s ha CSI has played a signi ican ole in ese ling e ugees. I os e ed s ong pa ne ships among he
go e nmen , ci il socie y o ganiza ions, and g ass oo s suppo g oups, c ea ing a collabo a i e amewo k o assis and in eg a e
e ugees in o I ish socie y. Despi e hese s eng hs, he p og am aced no able challenges. These include he di icul y o inding
sui able accommoda ion, limi ed awa eness and coope a ion om ele an go e nmen bodies, and he slow pace o e ugee amily
ein eg a ion in o he local communi y. To ensu e he con inued success o he p og am, his esea ch highligh s he need o g ea e
go e nmen coope a ion, pa icula ly om local au ho i ies, in suppo ing accommoda ion e o s. I also emphasizes he impo ance
o aising awa eness abou CSI among ele an go e nmen depa men s and ecommends he implemen a ion o egula moni o ing
and e alua ion o iden i y ongoing challenges and s eng hen he long- e m impac o he p og am.
INTRODUCTION
Eu opean coun ies, including I eland, ha e been s uggling wi h he immig a ion c isis, pa icula ly since 2015 and 2016 when he
Balkan e ugee ou e opened.
1
This led o app oxima ely 2.5 million asylum applica ions du ing hose wo yea s
2
. Subsequen ly, he
collapse o he A ghan go e nmen in Augus 2021 and Russia’s in asion o Uk aine in Feb ua y 2022 ha e u he in ensi ied
e ugee mo emen s owa d Eu opean coun ies.
3
Illegal immig a ion emains a signi ican challenge wi hin he EU. In esponse, he
EU has been a emp ing o legalize immig a ion h ough a ious app oaches. One p omising me hod o bo h legal mig a ion and
he posi i e in eg a ion o mig an s is communi y sponso ship. This ini ia i e o igina ed in Canada in he 1970s and has since been
adop ed wi hin he con ex o di e en na ional sys ems by he UK and se e al EU coun ies, including I eland.
4
CSI was es ablished in 2018. As a communi y-d i en app oach, i empowe s local communi ies o play a key ole in ese ling
indi iduals a ec ed by wa and pe secu ion in hei home coun ies. This P og am no only allows s a es o sha e esponsibili ies
wi h communi ies and ci il socie y, bu i also se es as a powe ul ool o he e ec i e in eg a ion o e ugees a he local le el.
Acco ding o he au ho 's indings, no p io esea ch has speci ically examined communi y sponso ship in I eland. This s udy, as
he i s o i s kind, aims o e alua e he impac o communi y sponso ship on e ugees in I eland.
To achie e his aim, he esea ch is s uc u ed in o ou pa s. The i s pa p o ides an o e iew o Communi y Sponso ship in
I eland, including i s de ini ion, his o ical backg ound, and he policy amewo k. The second pa explo es he impac o communi y
1
Boš jan Nedoh, ‘Mass Mig a ions as a Messianic E en ? Re eading Agamben’s S a e o Excep ion in Ligh o he Re ugee C isis
in Eu ope’ (2022) 18 Law, Cul u e and he Humani ies 272, 272.
2
E ienne Pigue , ‘The “Re ugee C isis” in Eu ope: Sho ening Dis ances, Con ainmen and Asymme y o Righ s—a Ten a i e
In e p e a ion o he 2015–16 E en s’ (2021) 34 Jou nal o e ugee s udies 1577, 276.
3
Ma ías Ibañez Sales, ‘ The Re ugee C isis' double S anda ds: Media F aming and he P oli e a ion o Posi i e and Nega i e
Na a i es Du ing he Uk ainian and Sy ian C ises', 1.
4
“Communi y Sponso ship I eland A Guide o P ospec i e Sponso s” (Depa men o Child en, Equali y, Disabili y, In eg a ion
and You h, Decembe 4, 2024), h ps://www.go .ie/pd /? ile=h ps://asse s.go .ie/317752/e2 17d6c-8863-4785-8 2b-
3e023eb5 ad5.pd . P.3.
E alua ing he Impac o Communi y Sponso ship on Re ugee Rese lemen in I eland
IJSSHMR, Volume 04 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025 www.ijsshm .com Page 1912
sponso ship, wi h a pa icula ocus on i s social and economic e ec s on e ugees. The hi d pa analyzes he challenges and
limi a ions o he communi y sponso ship model. Finally, he ou h pa o e s ecommenda ions o s eng hening he CSI.
This esea ch is based on desk esea ch, including he e iew o p ima y and seconda y sou ces such as jou nals, legisla ion, and
immig a ion o ganiza ion websi es. I also examines e ugee s o ies in I eland and inco po a es in e iews wi h h ee Communi y
Sponso ship bene icia ies, wo na ional suppo o ganiza ions, and h ee membe s o a sponso ship g oup.
Chap e 1: O e iew o Communi y Sponso ship in I eland
1. The Concep o Communi y Sponso ship
Communi y sponso ship is de ined as "a modali y o welcoming asylum seeke s based on he sha ed esponsibili y o p i a e ac o s
and public au ho i ies,"
5
o as "a communi y-led way o o dina y people o welcome e ugee amilies and suppo hem in se ling
in o hei local communi ies in I eland."
6
This model encou ages public pa icipa ion in suppo ing hose who ha e led wa and
pe secu ion.
7
CSI is buil on i e key p inciples including empowe men o bo h he communi y and e ugees, ac i e engagemen o
e ugees in hei own ese lemen , enhancemen o exis ing ese lemen mechanisms, c ea ion o pa ne ships be ween he
go e nmen and ci il socie y, and p o ec ion o e ugees based on equali y and non-disc imina ion.
8
2. His o y o Communi y Sponso ship in I eland
The Global Re ugee Sponso ship Ini ia i e (GRSI)
9
played a signi ican ole in encou aging I ish au ho i ies o es ablish CSI. GRSI
hos ed a mee ing in Canada in Feb ua y 2018, whe e hey p o ided in o ma ion and suppo o de eloping he p og am. GRSI
membe s also isi ed I eland se e al imes o o e guidance
10
. CSI was es ablished in 2018 as a complemen a y model o I eland's
adi ional e ugee ese lemen p og am. I ope a es unde he I ish Re ugee P o ec ion P og amme (IRPP) wi hin he Depa men
o Child en, Equali y, Disabili y, In eg a ion and You h (DCEDIY).
11
Ini ially launched as a pilo , CSI was o icially adop ed by
he I ish go e nmen in No embe 2019.
12
Due o I eland’s ea ly in ol emen , sha ing o expe ise, and suppo o p omo ing he ini ia i e, he IRPP ecei ed an in e na ional
awa d
13
. F om i s launch up o Oc obe 2024, CSI has o med a ound 60 Communi y Sponso ship G oups (CSGs) and ese led
nea ly 40 amilies. Acco ding o he 2024–2027 Ac ion Plan, I eland aims o ese le 100 amilies (25 pe yea ) h ough communi y
sponso ship.
14
3. Policy F amewo k
Communi y sponso ship is ecognized by he Eu opean Commission as a legal mig a ion ool unde he New Pac on Asylum and
Mig a ion
15
, which I eland, as an EU membe s a e, is obliged o ollow. Al hough he e is no speci ic I ish legisla ion exclusi ely
add essing communi y sponso ship, i s legal ounda ion is de i ed om Sec ion 59 o he In e na ional P o ec ion Ac 2015, which
co e s P og amme Re ugees and Tempo a y P o ec ion. Unde his sec ion, a p og amme e ugee is g an ed pe mission o en e and
eside in I eland as pa o an o ganized ese lemen ini ia i e.
16
Re ugees suppo ed h ough CSI a e ca ego ized as P og amme
Re ugees. While he Ac does no explici ly men ion communi y sponso ship, i p o ides he legal amewo k necessa y o he
ese lemen o e ugees h ough such ini ia i es. Bene icia ies o CSI ha e he same igh s and en i lemen s as I ish ci izens upon
a i al. A e h ee yea s o esidency, hey a e eligible o apply o I ish ci izenship.
17
5
Ca lo a Duken and Lucas Rasche, “Towa ds a Eu opean Model o Communi y Sponso ship,” Ma ch 31, 2021,
h ps://opus4.kob .de/opus4-hsog/ on doo /deli e /index/docId/3802/ ile/210331_Duken_Rasche_Communi y_sponso s.pd . P 2.
6
“Communi y Sponso ship | Do as,” accessed Ma ch 20, 2025, h ps://do as.o g/p og ammes/communi y-sponso ship.
7
“Communi y Sponso ship I eland A Guide o P ospec i e Sponso s.” P.3.
8
“Communi y Sponso ship I eland Ini ial Policy F amewo k” (n.d.), h ps://www. edc oss.ie/wp-con en /uploads/2019/03/CSI-
Policy-F amewo k-WEB.pd . PP. 5-4.
9
The Global Re ugee Sponso ship Ini ia i e (GRSI), a join ini ia i e led by he Canadian go e nmen , he UN High
Commissione o Re ugees, he Open Socie y Founda ions, he Gius a Founda ion and he Uni e si y o O awa, was es ablished
in 2016. I aims o p omo e p i a e communi y sponso ship ac oss he globe. “I eland Wins Awa d o Communi y Sponso ship o
Re ugees,” The I ish Times, accessed Ma ch 20, 2025, h ps://www.i ish imes.com/news/social-a ai s/i eland-wins-awa d- o -
communi y-sponso ship-o - e ugees-1.4046852.
10
Communi y Sponso ship I eland Ini ial Policy F amewo k. P. iii.
11
“Communi y Sponso ship I eland - I ish Red C oss,” June 22, 2022, h ps://www. edc oss.ie/communi y-sponso ship-i eland/,
h ps://www. edc oss.ie/communi y-sponso ship-i eland/.
12
“Communi y Sponso ship I eland A Guide o P ospec i e Sponso s.” P.3.
13
“I eland Wins Awa d o Communi y Sponso ship o Re ugees.”
14
“Communi y Sponso ship I eland P og amme Re iew” (Depa men o Child en, Equali y, Disabili y, In eg a ion and You h,
No embe 15, 2023), h ps://www.go .ie/pd /? ile=h ps://asse s.go .ie/292632/1ac417b9-4c70-482b-9 9a-d5d1052d7166.pd .
15
Duken and Rasche, “Towa ds a Eu opean Model o Communi y Sponso ship.” P2.
16
“In e na ional P o ec ion Ac 2015,” Pub. L. No. 66 (2015),
h ps://da a.oi each as.ie/ie/oi each as/ac /2015/66/eng/enac ed/a6615.pd . P 64.
17
“Communi y Sponso ship I eland A Guide o P ospec i e Sponso s.” P.4.
E alua ing he Impac o Communi y Sponso ship on Re ugee Rese lemen in I eland
IJSSHMR, Volume 04 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025 www.ijsshm .com Page 1913
Se e al guidance documen s u he suppo he implemen a ion o CSI by cla i ying he igh s and esponsibili ies o ese led
indi iduals and pa icipa ing g oups. These include he Communi y Sponso ship I eland: A Guide o P ospec i e Sponso s,
Communi y Sponso ship I eland: Rese led Pe sons P i acy No ice, and he Communi y Sponso ship I eland: A Guide o Sponso s’
Se lemen Planning.
18
Chap e 2: The Func ioning o Communi y Sponso ship and I s Impac in I eland
1. The Func ioning o Communi y Sponso ship in I eland
CSI suppo s e ugees who cu en ly eside ou side o I eland and ha e been iden i ied by he UNHCR and accep ed by he I ish
go e nmen as indi iduals in need o ese lemen . The UNHCR e e s cases o I eland, which has commi ed o o e ing sa e y and
p o ec ion o e ugees h ough i s ese lemen p og am, including CSI. Since CSI bene icia ies ha e al eady been ecognized by
he UNHCR as e ugees, hey a e no equi ed o apply o e ugee s a us upon a i al in I eland.
19
IRRPP is esponsible o
p ocessing he cases e e ed by he UNHCR. A he na ional le el, CSI is led by he I ish Red C oss
20
in pa ne ship wi h non-
go e nmen al Regional Suppo O ganiza ions (RSOs), including he I ish Re ugee Council
21
, Do as
22
, and Nasc
23
. The Open
Communi y
24
in a pa ne ship wi h he men ioned RSOs, IRPP, UNHCR and Amnes y In e na ional also p o ides suppo and
guidance o I ish Communi y Sponso ship mo emen .
25
These o ganiza ions no only ecei e and e iew CSGs' applica ions and p o ide ini ial eedback, bu also o e con inued suppo ,
ad ice, and aining o CSGs h oughou he sponso ship jou ney. Each RSO is esponsible o wo king wi h CSGs wi hin speci ic,
p e-assigned coun ies.
26
CSG plays a cen al ole in CSI. A CSG consis s o a minimum o i e indi iduals, all o e he age o 18, who commi o sponso ing
a e ugee amily. CSGs can be made up o ai h-based o ganiza ions, ade unions, spo s associa ions, o any ype o communi y
g oup. Each CSG ag ees o p o ide a ange o suppo o newly a i ed e ugees, including inancial, social, emo ional, and
ese lemen assis ance. CSGs a e equi ed o coo dina e wi h RSOs o aining and guidance in p epa ing applica ions and
suppo ing e ugee amilies unde CSI.
27
When sponso ing a e ugee amily, each CSG mus c ea e a de ailed se lemen plan, wi h
help om hei assigned RSO. This plan mus ou line he g oup’s s uc u e, ypes o suppo o be p o ided, and he inancial and
non- inancial assis ance in ended o help he e ugees in eg a e success ully.
CSGs mus o mally commi o secu ing housing o a minimum o 24 mon hs and p o iding a leas 18 mon hs o suppo . They
a e also equi ed o ha e a leas €10,000 in a ailable esou ces, o which a maximum o €2,000 may be in-kind con ibu ions, as
pe CSI guidelines.
28
In addi ion o he se lemen plan, CSGs a e expec ed o espec da a p o ec ion and p i acy laws and de elop
a Child Sa egua ding Policy o ensu e he sa e y and well-being o e ugee child en.
29
2. The Impac o Communi y Sponso ship I eland on Re ugee Rese lemen
CSI is designed o be one o he mos impac ul ini ia i es o e ugee ese lemen and hei in eg a ion in o I ish socie y. Acco ding
o Communi y Sponso ship I eland: A Guide o Sponso s’ Se lemen Planning, CSGs a e equi ed o mee all necessa y condi ions
18
“I ish Re ugee P o ec ion P og amme,” Janua y 29, 2021, h ps://www.go .ie/en/publica ion/ede36-i ish- e ugee-p o ec ion-
p og amme/.
19
“Communi y Sponso ship I eland A Guide o P ospec i e Sponso s.” PP. 3-4.
20
Since i s ounding in 1939, he I ish Red C oss has been dedica ed o se ing people in need whe he hey a e in I eland o caugh
up in humani a ian c ises in coun ies and egions h oughou he globe. Today he I ish Red C oss main ains an ac i e ne wo k o
o e 3,000 olun ee s a 75 b anch loca ions based in la ge and small communi ies h oughou he Republic o I eland. “Communi y
Sponso ship I eland,” accessed Ma ch 26, 2025, h ps://www.communi ysponso shipi eland.ie/.
21
The I ish Re ugee Council p o ides se ices and suppo o people seeking p o ec ion and people ecognised as e ugees in
I eland, and ad oca e o humane and digni ied p o ec ion p ocedu es and esponses o people leeing pe secu ion.“Communi y
Sponso ship I eland.”
22
Founded in 2000 by a g oup o passiona e olun ee s in esponse o he es ablishmen o he Di ec P o ision sys em, Do as has
been wo king i elessly since o p omo e and p o ec he igh s o mig an s and e ugees in I eland. Do as suppo s housands o
people in Lime ick and ac oss he coun y, on issues o immig a ion and in e na ional p o ec ion, homelessness, domes ic iolence,
a icking o labou exploi a ion, employmen , heal h and wellbeing, disc imina ion and mo e. “Communi y Sponso ship I eland.”
23
Nasc, he Mig an and Re ugee Righ s Cen e was ounded in he yea 2000 o p o ide suppo s o mig an s, e ugees and asylum
seeke s and o ad oca e o hei igh s. Th ough ou wo k, Nasc s i es o p omo e equali y and inclusion, and ensu e ha mig an s
ha e access o hei igh s and oppo uni ies in I ish socie y.
24
The Open Communi y CLG engages and suppo s people all o e I eland o welcome e ugees in o hei local communi ies.
“Abou The Open Communi y,” he open communi y, accessed Ap il 16, 2025, h ps:// heopencommuni y.ie/abou - he-open-
communi y/.
25
“Abou The Open Communi y.”
26
“Communi y Sponso ship I eland P og amme Re iew”; “Communi y Sponso ship I eland.”
27
Communi y Sponso ship I eland Ini ial Policy F amewo k. P. i .
28
Communi y Sponso ship I eland Ini ial Policy F amewo k.
29
“Communi y Sponso ship I eland A Guide o P ospec i e Sponso s.” P.11.
E alua ing he Impac o Communi y Sponso ship on Re ugee Rese lemen in I eland
IJSSHMR, Volume 04 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025 www.ijsshm .com Page 1914
o ensu e he success ul ese lemen o CSI bene icia ies, bo h be o e and a e hei a i al. The CSGs’ ese lemen plan mus
demons a e hei capaci y o manage all aspec s o he ese lemen p ocess om welcoming e ugees upon a i al o p o iding
ongoing suppo and p omo ing in eg a ion. Be o e he e ugees a i e, CSGs a e equi ed o aise su icien unds as pe CSI
guidelines, comple e he necessa y p epa a o y aining, and de elop a child sa egua ding policy o p o ec e ugee child en om
po en ial ha m. They mus also secu e accommoda ion o a minimum o 18 mon hs and p o ide essen ial household i ems.
Upon he a i al o he ese led bene icia ies in I eland, CSGs a e esponsible no only o mee ing and g ee ing hem a he ai po
bu also o ensu ing ha in e p e a ion se ices a e a ailable and ha he e ugees a e sa ely esco ed o hei new homes. They
mus p o ide in o ma ion ega ding he ole and esponsibili ies o he CSG, lease obliga ions, heal h and sa e y p ocedu es, and
a ailable eme gency suppo .
Fu he mo e, CSGs should assis he ese led indi iduals in gaining access o mobile phone se ices, in e ne connec i i y, and in
se ing up a bank accoun . Bene icia ies mus also be in o med abou he ongoing suppo a ailable om he I ish go e nmen .
CSGs a e expec ed o guide hem in accessing communi y ac i i ies, medical ca e, language aining, educa ion, and employmen
oppo uni ies. They mus also ensu e ha e ugees can ob ain necessa y documen a ion and se ices, including he I ish Residence
Pe mi (IRP), Pe sonal Public Se ice Numbe (PPSN), medical ca ds, d i ing licenses, social wel a e suppo , heal hca e access,
English language classes, and mo e.
30
CSI is no suppo ed by a single en i y bu is backed by a b oad ne wo k o communi y e o s.
31
The wide communi y plays a di ec
ole in CSI, helping o educe he bu den on he go e nmen while also o e ing meaning ul suppo o e ugee ese lemen and
in eg a ion. CSI no only bene i s he sponso ed amilies bu also p o ides an oppo uni y o local esiden s many o whom may
ne e ha e me a e ugee be o e o connec and show solida i y.
32
I enables communi y membe s o exp ess compassion and
coope a ion wi h indi iduals who ha e expe ienced wa and pe secu ion. The e a e many inspi ing examples o I ish communi y
membe s who ake p ide in hei suppo o e ugees h ough CSI. Fo ins ance, Ma y Co ey, a local GP in Kells who helped
ese le a Sy ian amily, sha ed: “I hink i ’s one o he mos impo an hings I’ e e e done in my li e. I eel some hing in my li e
and in my pe son has expanded because o i .”
33
CSI has had a p o oundly posi i e impac on i s bene icia ies in I eland. I has ensu ed hei sa e y and secu i y while p o iding
hem wi h an oppo uni y o ebuild hei li es in a s able and suppo i e en i onmen .
34
I has helped secu e housing, acili a ed
access o heal h se ices, educa ion including English cou ses o adul s and schooling o child en
35
, employmen , and communi y
suppo . Mo eo e , CSI has been pa icula ly e ec i e in p omo ing in eg a ion in u al and smalle communi ies. CSGs, who o en
ep esen hei local a eas, ha e o e ed in aluable suppo h ough di ec , pe sonal engagemen . The sponso ship model has os e ed
g ea e communi y coope a ion and has signi ican ly educed he likelihood o disc imina ion o mis ea men agains ese led
e ugee amilies.
Chap e 3: The Challenges o Communi y Sponso ship I eland (CSI)
Based on he expe iences sha ed by ese led e ugees, as well as in e iews conduc ed wi h CSI bene icia ies, membe s o CSGs
and Re ugee Suppo O ganiza ions (RSOs), CSI has aced se e al key challenges, as ou lined below:
1. Accommoda ion C isis
Due o he ongoing housing c isis in I eland, inding sui able accommoda ion ha ma ched he size and needs o e ugee amilies
p o ed o be one o he mos di icul aspec s o he CSI ini ia i e. This issue in ensi ied signi ican ly ollowing he in lux o
Uk ainian e ugees o I eland. Landlo ds ha e o en been eluc an o show solida i y and coope a e wi h CSGs and e ugee amilies
pa icula ly in he case o single e ugees. Con incing landlo ds o accep Housing Assis ance Paymen (HAP) suppo has also
been challenging. Mo eo e , he e ha e been cases whe e CSGs paid en o se e al mon hs in ad ance o accommoda ion, e en
hough he e ugee amilies had no ye a i ed in I eland.
36
The go e nmen lacks a sys em o co e en al cos s du ing he in e im
30
“Communi y Sponso ship I eland A Guide o Sponso s’ Se lemen Planning” (Depa men o Child en, Equali y, Disabili y,
In eg a ion and You h, Decembe 2024), h ps://www.go .ie/pd /? ile=h ps://asse s.go .ie/317754/abc806c1-0d73-49d5-a470-
08a0e1443d18.pd .
31
Eleano Bu nhill, “Communi ies P epa ing o Hos a ound 20 Sy ian Families,” July 25, 2021,
h ps://www. e.ie/news/2021/0725/1237144-i ish-communi ies-p epa ing- o-hos -20-sy ian- amilies/.
32
“‘A Beau i ul Expe ience’: Wicklow Locals Welcome Re ugee Families,” The I ish Times, accessed Ma ch 3, 2025,
h ps://www.i ish imes.com/i eland/social-a ai s/2022/12/30/a-beau i ul-expe ience-wicklow-locals-welcome- e ugee- amilies/.
33
“S o ies o Success – Communi y Sponso ship I eland,” accessed Ma ch 20, 2025,
h ps://www.communi ysponso ship.ie/s o ies-o -success/.
34
“Na an G oup o Sponso and Welcome Sy ian Re ugee Family | Mea h Ch onicle,” accessed Ma ch 3, 2025,
h ps://www.mea hch onicle.ie/2020/10/21/na an-g oup- o-sponso -and-welcome-sy ian- e ugee- amily/.
35
“Kells Communi y Sponso s Sy ian Re ugee Family in I eland | Mea h Ch onicle,” accessed Ma ch 3, 2025,
h ps://www.mea hch onicle.ie/2020/06/20/kells-communi y-sponso s-sy ian- e ugee- amily-in-i eland/.
36
“A G oup o Volun ee s Raise Funds o T y o Rese le Re ugees in Dublin 8 - Dublin Inqui e ,” accessed Ma ch 3, 2025,
h ps://dublininqui e .com/2020/08/19/a-g oup-o - olun ee s- aise- unds- o- y- o- ese le- e ugees-in-dublin-8/.
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pe iod be o e amilies a i e, placing a hea y inancial bu den on CSGs. Addi ionally, in some cases, due o he una ailabili y o
local housing, CSGs we e o ced o secu e accommoda ion ou side hei own communi ies. This limi ed he abili y o g oup
membe s o egula ly isi and suppo he e ugee amilies. A he same ime, i hinde ed he e ugees' abili y o build ela ionships
wi hin he hos communi y, educing hei access o local se ices, social ne wo ks, and oppo uni ies o in eg a e.
2. Lack o Awa eness Abou CSI in Rele an Go e nmen Depa men s
Many public sec o employees including hose in he Depa men o Social P o ec ion, local au ho i ies, and he Heal h Se ice
Execu i e lack su icien awa eness and unde s anding o CSI. As a esul , e ugee amilies and CSG membe s o en encoun e ed
di icul ies when ying o p ocess applica ions o access se ices. In many cases, assis ance om RSOs was equi ed simply o
explain CSI o go e nmen s a . This lack o awa eness led o signi ican delays in p ocessing i al documen a ion and se ices.
Fo ins ance, some e ugee amilies wai ed wo o h ee mon hs o ecei e hei Public Se ices Ca d, which hen delayed access o
heal hca e, HAP, and social wel a e. These bu eauc a ic delays no only placed inancial p essu e on CSGs bu also consumed
aluable ime ha could ha e been spen empowe ing and engaging wi h e ugee amilies.
3. Slow In eg a ion P ocess
The hos communi y and CSG membe s play a c i ical ole in helping e ugee amilies in eg a e in o I ish socie y. Howe e , se e al
amilies aced challenges in connec ing wi h hei new communi ies, la gely due o being housed ou side he CSG's locali y. This
physical sepa a ion weakened he suppo ne wo k and educed he e ugees' abili y o pa icipa e in communi y li e. Al hough many
e ugees exp essed a desi e o engage in local cul u al ac i i ies o os e a sense o belonging, hey we e unable o do so due o
loca ion cons ain s. Addi ionally, limi ed access o English language classes u he hinde ed in eg a ion. In some a eas, e ugees
had o endu e long commu es o a end language cou ses, o could only a end classes once a week due o limi ed a ailabili y. These
ac o s signi ican ly impac ed hei abili y o lea n English and communica e e ec i ely wi hin he communi y, delaying hei
in eg a ion and independence.
CHAPTER 4: RECOMMENDATION
Gi en he challenges aced by CSI, his s udy o e s he ollowing ecommenda ions o he u he imp o emen o Communi y
Sponso ship in I eland
1. Accommoda ion
The go e nmen should es ablish a sys em h ough which en and deposi cos s a e co e ed un il CSI bene icia ies a e o icially
se led in o hei accommoda ion. In addi ion, local au ho i ies should p io i ize applica ions om CSI bene icia ies and ensu e hey
a e p ocessed p omp ly. Fu he mo e, all CSI bene icia ies should be included in he en supplemen scheme allowing up o 35%
abo e he en limi s, wi hou equi ing case-by-case e alua ions. This policy would no only ease he inancial bu den on CSGs bu
also help hem secu e sui able accommoda ion wi hin hei communi ies in a imely manne .
2. Inc ease in Minimum Fund aising Requi emen
Acco ding o he CSI guidelines o p ospec i e sponso s, CSGs mus cu en ly aise a minimum o €10,000 o a e ugee amily,
o €5,000 o an indi idual. Howe e , esea ch indings indica e ha his amoun is insu icien . In some cases, CSGs ha e spen
o e €30,000 on a single amily's ese lemen due o un o eseen expenses. As a esul , CSGs o en spend a signi ican po ion o
hei ime on und aising, wi h li le o no go e nmen inancial con ibu ion. This shows ha he cu en minimum und aising
equi emen is un ealis ic. I is ecommended ha he minimum amoun be inc eased om €10,000 o €30,000, and ha he
go e nmen p o ide g an s o suppo CSGs in eaching his a ge . Doing so would p e en addi ional un o eseen challenges o
bo h he CSGs and CSI bene icia ies.
3. Raising Awa eness Among Go e nmen Employees Abou CSI
I is essen ial o conduc awa eness- aising p og ams wi hin ele an go e nmen depa men s. The IRPP and RSOs should ake
esponsibili y o in o ming depa men s such as he Heal h Se ice Execu i e (HSE), local au ho i ies, and he Depa men o Social
P o ec ion and o he ele an au ho i ies abou CSI and i s guidelines. A as - ack sys em should be de eloped o acili a e he
p ocessing o applica ions o CSI bene icia ies. Addi ionally, he IRPP could assign ocal poin s wi hin hese depa men s o suppo
o he s a and ensu e imely handling o e ugee- ela ed ma e s.
CONCLUSION
Communi y Sponso ship, which o igina ed in Canada, has p o en o be an e ec i e ini ia i e o suppo ing legal mig a ion and
acili a ing he posi i e in eg a ion and se lemen o mig an s wi hin hos communi ies. I has allowed g ass oo s communi ies o
ac i ely pa icipa e in he ese lemen and in eg a ion o e ugees in hei local a eas. In I eland, CSI, as a ela i ely new p og am,
has played a signi ican ole in ese ling e ugees, pa icula ly hose leeing con lic in coun ies such as Sy ia and A ghanis an.
CSI has os e ed s ong pa ne ships among he go e nmen , ci il socie y o ganiza ions, and g ass oo s suppo g oups, c ea ing a
collabo a i e amewo k o assis and in eg a e e ugees in o I ish socie y. CSI bene icia ies ha e been o mally ecognized as
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P og amme Re ugees unde he In e na ional P o ec ion Ac 2015 and a e g an ed he same igh s and en i lemen s as I ish ci izens
upon a i al. Despi e hese s eng hs, he p og am aces no able challenges. These include he di icul y o inding sui able
accommoda ion, limi ed awa eness and coope a ion om ele an go e nmen bodies, and he slow pace o e ugee amily
ein eg a ion in o he local communi y. As CSGs ca y he majo i y o he esponsibili y o e ugee ese lemen , hese challenges
ha e placed a signi ican bu den on hem. In some ins ances, he p essu e has demo i a ed membe s om o ming o con inuing
CSGs o suppo new e ugee a i als. I le unadd essed, hese issues may nega i ely impac he long- e m success and
sus ainabili y o CSI in I eland. To ensu e he con inued success o he p og am, his esea ch highligh s he need o g ea e
go e nmen coope a ion, pa icula ly om local au ho i ies, in suppo ing accommoda ion e o s. I also emphasizes he impo ance
o aising awa eness abou CSI among ele an go e nmen depa men s and ecommends he implemen a ion o egula moni o ing
and e alua ion o iden i y ongoing challenges and s eng hen he long- e m impac o he p og am.
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