THE Migration Studies Unit, Department of Geography at a glance
CORE STAFF
- Piaras Mac Éinrí, Director. Immigration and asylum research.
- Aoife Collins. Southern Integrated Research Partnership. Researcher on asylum and immigration issues in Ireland. Wrote landmark reports on needs of asylum seekers in Tralee and Cork.
- Aki Stavrou. Southern Integrated Research Partnership. Research on labour migration issues. He has extensive research experience in a number of African countries.
- Clare Roche. EU Marie Curie fellow. The Centre’s research rating by the EU evaluators was 26 out of a possible 30 points.
- Dr. Jason King. Government of Ireland postdoctoral research fellow, 2002-2004. Dr King is researching refugee discourses and carrying out interviews for the Centre’s oral archive project Immigrant Lives.
AFFILIATES
- Dr Steve Garner, Department of Applied Social Studies. Lecturer and researcher, inter alia, in the history of ‘race’ and racism in Ireland, within a comparative international context
- Dr Paulina Chiwangu, Department of Applied Social Studies. Lecturer and researcher, inter alia, in interculturalism and diversity studies.
- Professor Patricia Coughlan, Department of English. Specialist, inter alia, in 17th and 20th century representations of the Other.
- Dr Breda Gray, Head of Women's Studies/Department of Government and Society, University of Limerick (and former Head of Research, ICMS). Women in the diaspora; life narratives (oral archives).
- Brendan Hennessy. Service provision for asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants.
ACTIVITIES AND FUNDING
ICMS has received almost €500,000 in funding since its inception.
- 2004: Department of Social and Family Affairs. Director has been asked to act as external consultant and facilitator for a conference on labour migration and social exclusion, to take place during the Irish Presidency of the EU in the first half of 2004.
- 2002/2003: Immigrant Council of Ireland. This is a new NGO headed by Sister Stanislaus Kennedy. Director is preparing a report on aspects of labour migration.
- 2002/2003: Ireland Funds. Award of €5,000 for Traveller’s Tales, oral archive project with Pavee Point Traveller Centre.
- 2002: Task Force on Emigration. Dr Breda Gray received €5,500 for her part of the background research for this major report, the first official Government report since the Commission for Emigration and Other Population Problems in the mid-1950s.
- 2001/2003: Royal Irish Academy. The report of the RIA-funded study into the role of the voluntary sector in the reception and integration of asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants is now in preparation. It will draw heavily on material collected during the European Study Visit programme as well as ancillary studies carried out in Cork (next item). A research grant of €35,000 was awarded for the study
- 2002: Southern Integrated Research Partnership (SIRP - members: Southern Health Board; Department of Social and Family Affairs; Department of Education and Science; Cork City Council, Cork County Development Board; FÁS, Cork City Partnership, NASC/Irish Immigrant Support Centre, ICMS). €53,328 for research on needs and services of asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants and for organisation of European Study Visit programme. SIRP’s European Study Visit Programme was completed in late 2002 following intensive study visits to Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Britain. A report is in preparation. The Cork Immigrant Service Analysis, also commissioned by SIRP (draft nearing completion) will include the results of the first detailed analysis of labour migration to Cork city and county.
- 2002: British Council. Funding for all aspects of week-long visit by Southern Integrated Research Partnership to London and Scotland (part of European Study Visit Programme) was provided by the Council, which has also promised further funding for a follow-up conference later this year (2003).
- 2002: National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism/Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust €3,000 for briefing paper on the Implications for Ireland and Britain arising from the development of recent EU policy on migration.
- 2001/2002: Department of Social and Family Affairs. Director was external facilitator in delivering two modules of the Department’s pilot programme in anti-racism and diversity training and worked with civil servants in Cork, Dublin, Waterford, Limerick and Longford. Further modules are planned. Total fees: approximately €3,800.
- 2001/2002: Faculty of Arts Development Fund, IR£15,000/€19,050 support for core costs.
- 2001/2002: Department of Geography, IR£5,000/€6,350 support for core costs.
- 2000/2001: Higher Education Authority. A report on access to third level education for refugees and others with leave to remain was delayed by the departure of a staff member. However the text is now largely complete and will be submitted in the coming months. Award to ICMS: IR£30,000/€38,100.
- 2001: National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism. IR£6,500/€8,255 for RAXEN survey (European Monitoring Centre for Racism and Xenophobia Vienna) on anti-racist organisations in Ireland.
- 2001: EU Commission Contract VS/2000/0312. ‘Governance models and new migration patterns: local strategies to foster social cohesion in a changing labour market’. The project was a study of immigration policies in new immigration EU member states (Spain, Italy, and Ireland). Award to ICMS: approx. €26,000.
- 2001: Mr David Ryan $25,000/€25,000 for oral archive.
- 2001: Jay Grant (estate of Mr James Devere): $15,000/€15,000, core funding.
- 2000 Ireland Funds. IR£9,000/€11,430 for Immigrant Voices, project on life narratives of asylum seekers, immigrants and refugees in Ireland. Completion: summer 2001.
- 2000: Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform: IR£2,781/€3531. Part contribution to costs of conference at UCC coordinated by ICMS Asylum seekers in Ireland: Fostering Regional Partnerships.
- 1999: Ireland Funds. IR£5000/€6350 for project Here to Stay: Refugees in Ireland – an information pack for second level schools.
- 1999-2002: IR£39,000/€49,530 approx. for oral archive project Breaking the Silence: staying 'at home' in an emigrant society. The project was completed last year and is now live on the Centre’s website, while archival materials are being deposited with the Boole.
- 1999: Mr David Ryan, $15,000/€15,000, core funding.
- 1998: Mr Michael Foley, $50,000/€50,000, core funding.
- 1998: Mr David Ryan, $10,000/€10,000, core funding.
- 1997: Department of Foreign Affairs: IR£8,000/€10,160 for joint seminar organised in context of Scattering conference.
- 1997: Mr James Devere, approximately $100,000/€100,000 for The Scattering conference and cultural events on Irish Diaspora.
STRENGTHS
- Only specialist research body in the field of migration/ethnic relations, covering reception and integration questions regarding asylum seekers, refugees and labour migrants, in Ireland.
- Southern Integrated Research Partnership is a unique collaborative partnership combining statutory, voluntary and academic inputs.
- All researchers for have successful track records and experience of applied research in the field.
- The Centre's website is a significant and widely used resource for those interested in contemporary migration issues in Ireland.
- Director of Centre is external consultant on anti-racist training to Department of Social and Family Affairs; pilot programme already developed.
WEBSITES
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