http://www.dublinpost.com/p/7a/619697ca976c7c.html?id=WNAT1392bbc04589f12fb804c6ac1ce610d8
"A milestone in Ireland's effort to integrate refugees was reached earlier this week when the government's Reception & Integration Agency held direct consultations with 50 refugees for the first time on steps to support their integration.
The Reception & Integration Agency, which operates under the aegis of Ireland's Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform, launched the initiative to tap into 'the direct experiences of refugees, their identification of the issues, their views on emerging integration policy, the barriers which they continue to face and how the Agency can best help to achieve a common goal of integration into Irish society.'
Expressing UNHCR's concern over the lack of integration initiatives, the agency's Representative in Ireland, Pia Pr�tz Phiri, said, 'While Ireland's positive integration policy, 'A Two-way Process', launched in 1999, remains essential to what we wish to achieve, it is time to move forward to the next phase, to produce real 'on the ground' opportunities for refugee integration.'
Pr�tz Phiri told refugees at the forum, 'You are in the best position to identify your own needs. Integration is important for you as individuals, for Ireland, and for the continued protection of refugees here. You and your communities will bear the heaviest brunt for the failure of integration.'
Recalling that in several European countries, steps are being taken to designate ministers solely responsible for the portfolio of integration, Pr�tz Phiri said, 'This demonstrates the level of seriousness integration is being dealt with in the EU, not because integration has been a success, but because it has been a failure in so many countries.' "
