Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

Supporting Irish communities overseas, and in particular the most vulnerable members of these communities, is an important priority for the Government, as it has been for many Governments.

Since the establishment of the Irish abroad unit in 2004, the Government has allocated more than €60 million under the emigrant support programme, ESP, to support Irish communities abroad. Funding to Irish organisations in the United States has increased significantly in this same period, from just over $653,000 in 2004 to a record $5 million in 2008. This figure includes a specific item. A further $2.83 million has been allocated so far this year. Further details of grants allocated to support Irish community organisations and projects in the United States in 2008 and so far in 2009 are outlined in the table circulated for the Deputy's information.

The primary focus of this funding is to support the provision of key welfare, information and immigration advisory services to the more marginalised members of our community in the United States. The frontline Irish immigration organisations offer a wide range of socially sensitive services to the undocumented, elderly, homeless and other vulnerable persons. These services make a substantive difference to the lives of thousands of Irish emigrants in the US, reducing homelessness, tackling social isolation and enabling access to local statutory entitlements.

The embassy and consulates general have also worked closely with Irish immigration centres and organisations in the United States to design innovative and collaborative projects that address specific community needs. This approach has been particularly successful in developing outreach services for the elderly, many of whom live outside the community centres' traditional catchment areas. In May of this year, the Minister for Foreign Affairs launched one such innovative project, the New York Senior Helpline.

While the support of frontline welfare services continues to be the priority, the expansion of the emigrant support programme since 2003 has also enabled the Government to invest in a range of community and heritage projects, which foster a greater sense of Irish identity, in addition to strategic capital projects. In 2008, ESP grants were allocated to support flagship community projects in New York, San Francisco and Boston. These grants are a key part of the Government's approach to ensuring that the links between Ireland and Irish America remain strong and vibrant and complement other initiatives in this area, including the strategic policy review of Ireland's relationship with the United States.

Despite the current challenging budgetary situation, support for emigrant services worldwide has this year been maintained at its record 2008 level of €15.183 million. This is a significant achievement in the current economic climate, one which underlines our strong commitment to our overseas communities. The current allocation is some five times greater than the 2003 equivalent and represents a 15-fold increase on the 1997 figure.

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