Government to Expand Community Engagement Efforts to Address Anti-Immigrant Sentiment

Dublin: The government is preparing to significantly strengthen and broaden community engagement initiatives aimed at countering rising anti-immigrant sentiment. The new measures form a core part of the National Migrant and Integration Strategy, scheduled for launch next year under the leadership of the Department of Justice.

A key component of the strategy will be the Community Engagement Programme 2026, designed to improve communication on immigration and integration while reducing community tensions. The initiative will focus on counties where immigration-related challenges are most evident and where International Protection centres are operating. Ongoing targeted interventions will continue in areas such as South Dublin, Tipperary, and Kildare, while new communication efforts will be introduced in additional locations.

Pilot programmes will also be rolled out in Donegal, Clare, Leitrim, Wicklow, Limerick, and Galway City to address pressing local concerns. The campaign will highlight the substantial contribution of migrants to essential sectors of Irish society and seek to counter misinformation and anti-immigrant narratives. A national report will be compiled summarising intervention outcomes across participating regions.

According to the Department of Justice, the programme aims to strengthen community-level engagement and provide a structured mechanism for identifying emerging issues. Community engagement teams will focus their work in areas where accommodation centres are active—preparing briefing materials, hosting information sessions, and responding to queries from local groups and public representatives. The initiative will involve close cooperation between government departments, local authorities, agencies, NGOs, and civil society groups.

Extensive engagement is planned for government-managed facilities such as Citywest. The programme will include consultations with elected representatives, residents’ associations, NGOs, local service providers, community leaders, and An Garda Síochána to address local concerns and gather insights on integration challenges.

While similar public information campaigns were previously explored at Government level, they were never fully implemented. A communication plan developed in 2023—intended to reduce protests against refugee accommodation through accurate public information—was halted following opposition within the Taoiseach’s Department.

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