PLANS are being put in place to begin to settle Syrian refugee families in Fermanagh.
According to a Department for Communities spokesperson, five refugee families have recently been settled in the Omagh area, with others having already resettled in other parts of Tyrone, including Dungannon.
To date no Syrian families have been resettled in Fermanagh, but that looks set to change in the near future.
The spokesperson for the Department said: “The Department for Communities works with all local councils to put in place the necessary arrangements to resettle each group of Syrian refugees to arrive in Northern Ireland. 
“The availability of suitable housing to meet the needs of the refugees is the priority when considering locations for resettlement. The Department can confirm that five refugee families from Group 15 will be the first to be resettled in Omagh. 
“No Syrian families have been resettled in Fermanagh so far. However, there are plans to begin settling families in Fermanagh as the resettlement process continues. All families receive support from a Consortium of community and voluntary groups in partnership with statutory organisations. 
“The Vulnerable Syrian Refugee Consortium has been appointed by the Department to help support the direct delivery of services to the refugees and support them in their resettlement and integration. 
“The Vulnerable Syrian Refugee Consortium has been working closely with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council who are keen to play their part in ensuring the families feel welcomed and supported. 
“The Consortium were invited by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Good Relations team to deliver training recently (June 12) in preparation for the families’ arrival. 
“The training was on Refugee Awareness and Arabic Culture. 
“It was greatly received by a wide range of the local statutory, community and voluntary organisations within the area, including, the Health Trust, Housing, Education, local Councillors, Omagh Family Support Hub and Omagh Ethnic Community Support Group, and church groups,” the spokesperson added.