Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The emigrant support programme, ESP, administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, provides funding to non-profit organisations and projects to support Irish emigrant communities overseas and to facilitate the development of more strategic links between Ireland and the global Irish.

Between 2004 and 2011 over €93 million has been provided under the programme. The priority of the ESP, and of the organisations it supports, is in assisting the most vulnerable members of Irish communities overseas. These organisations have made a substantive difference to the lives of Irish people living abroad, reducing homelessness, tackling social isolation and enabling Irish emigrants to access their local statutory entitlements.

I do not expect frontline welfare to be adversely affected by the reduction in the overall 2012 budget. In 2011 some €11.27 million was provided to support over 200 organisations in 20 countries worldwide. A further €254,000 was spent on Global Irish Network related activities including hosting the Global Irish Economic Forum in October 2011. The 2012 allocation of €11.6 million is therefore broadly in line with 2011 expenditure. The reduction will, however, limit the programme's capacity to fund large scale capital projects as has been done over recent years.

The reduction is not related to, or attributable to, any particular country and all applications for funding in 2012 will be assessed on their merits. The 2012 ESP grant round will be open from 18 January to 29 February and information will be circulated publicly and to previous applicants as normal.

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