Local Authority Integration Team (LAIT)

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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LAIT stands for the Local Authority Integration Team. We are a team within the   Integration Office in Fingal County Council, and we will guide you to services you may need to integrate into your local community in Fingal. We work with Applicants for International Protection, those with Refugee status, Subsidiary Protection, permission to remain status, Programme Refugees and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP). To connect with our team, you can email us at    span lang="EN-US">[email protected] .

Through integration supports such as information provision, Fingal LAIT work to support the people we work with and equip individuals to live independently as part of a community.

Information clinics are opportunities for you to meet one on one with an Integration Support Worker. In this space, you can bring any questions you may have about health and wellbeing, family, community integration, employment, education, your day-to-day living and accessing public services. After listening to your question, the Integration Support Worker that you are speaking with will then signpost you to the service / organisation that is relevant to your query.

LAIT Fingal is dedicated to the privacy and protection of your personal information. Please read our privacy statement which explains our responsibility to manage and safeguard your data.  

A Temporary Residence Certificate (TRC) will be given to you after your Preliminary Interview in the International Protection Office (IPO). Make sure your name is spelt correctly and in the right order. If there are any issues or changes to the information on your card, you can email  [email protected] . 

Note the personal number on your TRC and use it when emailing the IPO or IPAS. If you change address, be sure to update the IPO and tell them your new address.

Your TRC card has an expiry date. It is written in red, under the photo. If your TRC is expired or due to expire within the next 3 weeks, you can renew by emailing  [email protected] . 

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A Personal Public Service Number is a unique reference number that helps you access social welfare benefits and public services in Ireland. A PPS number is always 7 numbers followed by either one or two letters. Typically, an application to access a Personal Public Service Number is made at the same time an individual is applying for international protection.  You can then collect your PPSN from your local Intreo Centre within 4 working days.  

Haven’t received you PPS number? You can email your query to  [email protected] . Alternatively, the Irish Refugee Council provide an information and Advocacy Service, for more details see here.

Once you received you PPS Number, you can apply for a Public Services Card. This card can be used to prove your identity  and help you access certain public services like social welfare payments. To apply for this card, you can visit your local Intreo office. To find your nearest Intreo Office, please see here. 

A medical card allows access to medical services, some prescription medicines and hospital care for free. Usually, this access will also cover your dependent spouse or partner and your children. Ireland’s public health service provider, the Health Service Executive (HSE), issues these cards. 

If you are under the Temporary Protection Directive, you may be entitled to a medical card immediately. There is a special medical card application form (pdf) for people from Ukraine.

A person seeking International Protection is entitled to apply for and be assessed for a medical card. You can apply online at www.mymedicalcard.ie or can download a medical card application form. 

Before applying for a medical card, you need to find a GP (doctor) to accept you as a patient. The HSE have a list of doctors that accept medical card patients (pdf).If you are applying for a medical card and 3 GPs have declined to accept you, you can contact the HSE and they will help you get assigned to a GP.

For people included in your application you will need to provide PPS numbers, dates of birth, and income/expense details.

If you are a Beneficiary of Temporary Protection and are living in a Designated Accommodation Centre (DAC), you are entitled to a weekly payment of €38.80 per adult and €29.80 per child, subject to an income test.

For more information, click here.

If you are an individual living in a designated IPAS accommodation, you are entitled to a weekly payment known as the Daily Expenses Allowance (DEA). The weekly expense rate is €29.80 for children and €38.80 for adults. To apply you must:

1. Fill out a Daily Expenses Allowance (DEA) form and a Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA1) form.
2. Post your form to the Department of Social Protection (Asylum Seekers Unit) at the following address: Elizabeth O’Farrell House, North Cumberland Street, Dublin 1, D01 NX32

Please note:

1. You are also entitled to apply for additional payments if your circumstances change (for example, if you have a child).
2. An increased rate of €113.80 per week for an adult applies where a person is unaccommodated and is on a waiting list for IPAS accommodation.
3. An income assessment is being introduced for the Daily Expenses Allowance from June 2024 for people 18 years or over who are receiving an income for 12 weeks or more. The Daily Expenses Allowance payment will finish where a person is getting €125 or more per week. If a person’s income is above €60 and below €125, their reduced rate of Daily Expenses Allowance will be based on their earnings. If a person’s income is €60 or less, their Daily Expenses Allowance payment will not be affected. Income includes pay from a job, self-employment and social welfare payments. For couples or families, the Daily Expenses Allowance payment from the person who has income may be reduced or withdrawn. This will not affect any payments other family members are getting.

For more information, click here.

Yes, as long as you have applied for international protection in Ireland and have been waiting 6 months for the first decision on your application for asylum. You must apply for permission to work (Labour Market Access)  before you start working. You can apply for this permission here. 

Further explanations and visual content on this topic can be accessed here. 

Intreo provides a Public Employment Service here in Ireland. They provide employment supports to jobseekers. Your local Intreo can work with you directly to:

• support you to prepare for and find work
• offer you supports and services to help you change career, upskill or retrain
• identify suitable training opportunities
• identify supports if you want to set up your own business
• connect you with employers who are actively looking to hire people

For more information on the Intreo services, click here.

Conversational English classes are organised by Failte Isteach across the Fingal area and the country. These classes are run by volunteers and are a great place to improve  your language  level and to meet people. Classes are open to all and cater for all levels of English. Find the nearest class to you here. 

If you are seeking International Protection in Ireland, you have access to education opportunities here in Ireland. You can find more information through:

• Local Education and Training Boards (ETBs):They offer English language classes, adult education, and further training.
• The Irish Refugee Council: Provides guidance and support for accessing education and training. See www.irishrefugeecouncil.ie.

For Ukrainians who have arrived under the Temporary Protection Directive, information about the Irish education system is available in Ukrainian here.

Fingal County Council supports 32 community centres across the Fingal area, you can find out your nearest community centre here. 

The Fingal Volunteer Centre can provide you support in getting involved in volunteering. They run regular information pop-ups across Fingal or to learn more, you can email [email protected] or call 01 899 1921. 

You can also explore the national volunteering database for volunteer roles and opportunities in your area here: www.i-vol.ie.

No, the LAIT does not have any role in providing accommodation or identifying or dealing with accommodation centre transfers. However, we can signpost you to the relevant support services. 

If you are sick or unwell, please see a doctor. You can make an appointment for free at one of the following clinics:

• Rialto Primary Care Centre, 383 South Circular Road, Dublin 8, D08 RY99: 087 429 9686
• Safetynet Inclusion Hub, IHH Summerhill, 90-92 Summerhill Parade, D01 HN35: 01 876 5201
• 70 Eccles Street, Dublin 7, D07 A977: 087 312 9127
   

If the Doctor gives you a letter/document that shows you are sick, send it to IPAS by email. In the case of a medical emergency dial 999/112 for an ambulance.