Muslim Community Lobby Ireland is an independent organization established 1st May 2007. Its motto is TO USE THE VOTE RIGHTLY AND TO RAISE THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY AWARNESS WITH THEIR RIGHTS AND TO PROMOTE TOLERANCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF OTHER EXISTING GROUPS. لترشيد استعمال الصوت الانتخابي ولتوعية وتعريف المسلمين بحقوقهم في ايرلندا وان يعيشوا بتفهم للواقع وللجماعات الاخرى الموجودة على الساحة

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Immigrant interns in local and regional newspapers


1. The purpose of this scheme is to give non-Irish nationals an opportunity to get involved in this area of the media and to increase content in the paper giving the perspective of immigrants. In this way, the wider readership would be exposed to the experience of this new group in Irish society and integration would be enhanced.

2. There will be funding for 2 internships of 6 months (subject to the review referred to at point 7 below) at separate local or regional newspapers.

3. Interns must be persons born outside Ireland (32 Counties) who are legally resident in the State and who can legally take up the position of intern.

4. Selection will be on the basis of applications submitted jointly by the newspaper and the proposed intern. It is for the paper to source the prospective intern or for that person to make contact with a paper with a view to submitting a joint application.

5. Selection will be by this Office on the basis of the ability of the proposed intern to discharge the role as described in point 6 below and the capacity of the newspaper to support the intern so that they can benefit from the arrangement. There will be a preference for persons who have been in Ireland for 5 years or less though persons who have been here for longer than this are not excluded from applying. Persons, who have (i) resided in Ireland for a considerable number of years such that they would be reasonably regarded as well integrated into Irish society or (ii) already worked in the field of journalism in a professional capacity or to a significant extent, are unlikely to be selected.

6. The internship will be a full time position. The intern will, following appropriate induction, regularly write by-lined articles or reports for publication in the newspaper. These articles or reports may deal with issues relevant to immigrants and integration of immigrants as well as general issues.

7. This Office will bear in full the salary cost of the internship at a rate of €11,440 and associated employer’s PRSI for the six month period. Half of this will be paid to the newspaper at the commencement of the internship. Prior to the conclusion of the third month, this Office will review experience with the internship on the basis of separate written reports from the editor of the newspaper and the intern and material authored by the intern and published in the newspaper. If this Office considers that the arrangement is operating satisfactorily, the remainder of the cost will be paid to the newspaper and the internship will continue for the remainder of the six month period.

8. The intern will be the employee of the newspaper proprietor and not of this Office and the proprietor will be subject to the legal obligations that arise from the employment relationship.

9. The newspaper will acknowledge appropriately adjacent to published articles and reports by the intern the fact that funding was provided by this Office

10. The joint application by the prospective intern and the newspaper should set out how the factors referred to in point 5 above are met. Applications must be received in this Office before 1600 hrs on 12 January 2011 in hard copy. To facilitate processing, they should also be sent by e-mail to jhurley@pobail.ie. Enquiries should also be sent to this e-mail address.



Office of the Minister for Integration
Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs
43/49 Mespil Road
Dublin 4