People who come to Ireland to seek protection often face practical difficulties once they arrive. They may not know how public services work, what their rights are, or who to ask for help. This can make it harder to settle into daily life and start planning for the future. Local Authority Integration Teams (LAITs) were created to respond to this need. These teams operate within every local authority. Their job is to help newcomers access services like healthcare, education, social protection and legal support. They also encourage people to take part in local activities and connect with their new communities. By doing this work early and at a local level, LAITs help support social integration and enable new arrivals to begin contributing to Irish life.

LAITs support four main groups of people: applicants for International Protection; people with refugee status, subsidiary protection, or permission to remain; programme refugees; and Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs). In many cases, the process of determining a person’s legal status can take months or even longer. During that time, people still need take part in community life and begin to regain some stability in their lives. As Shannette Budhai, an Integration Officer with Roscommon County Council, puts it, “They didn’t come here to be recipients of aid. They want to give back. They want to be independent and self-sufficient.”