Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Tánaiste's response on this matter. We are all proud of what has been done in the last decade or more and of the allocation of more than €90 million to support vulnerable Irish people abroad. The public consciousness may be focused on elderly disadvantaged people in the United Kingdom. However, as the Tánaiste has said, 20 countries have benefitted from these funds, which reached a height of €15 million in 2008 and are down to about €10 million in the current year. I welcome the Tánaiste's assurance that funding will be intelligently spread across the services.

Can the Tánaiste assure the House that he will look at some of the destination countries of the new wave of emigrants? Do we have a programme in Canada, for example? Many Irish people are heading there at present. We would need to be doing something in that area.

In the objectives set out for emigrant support services reference is made to promoting projects and initiatives that support the outcomes of the Global Irish Economic Forum. What sort of initiatives have been followed in that area since the Tánaiste came into office and does he have any projects in mind for the funding that will be available in 2012?

Will the Tánaiste continue actively to support the young Irish people who are now abroad so we can maintain links with them and ensure they continue to have heritage, cultural and sporting experiences in the countries where they are now and that we achieve the objective that is dear to all our hearts and encourage their ultimate return to these shores?

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