Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress made to date in implementing the recommendations of the task force on policy regarding emigrants; the latest work of the dedicated unit within his Department to deal with issues concerning Irish persons overseas; the meetings which members of this unit have had with representatives of the Irish emigrant community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2772/05]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress that is being made on the implementation of the recommendations of the task force on emigrants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2633/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 156 together.

The task force on policy regarding emigrants contained many detailed recommendations whose implementation can best be brought about on a phased basis. Considerable progress has already been made, with action under way on over two thirds of its recommendations. Overall policy is now, as recommended by the task force, the responsibility of my Department and a dedicated unit — the Irish abroad unit — has been established to drive forward progress in this important area.

Funding for emigrant services has risen significantly in recent years. Since 1997 funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs, and grants from the DÍON fund for emigrant welfare in Britain, have increased by some 850%. I was delighted to secure €8.27 million for 2005. This represents an increase of 63% on the 2004 amount and means that increased funding, as recommended by the task force, will be directed to voluntary organisations that provide critical services to our vulnerable emigrants. These organisations are active across the range of critical areas identified by the task force, including pre-departure services and frontline advice and counselling to our community living abroad.

The Irish abroad unit is promoting progress on initiatives which build on the task force report. It is working to encourage greater collaboration between all the partners, in government and in the voluntary sectors, in Ireland and abroad, to enhance the coherence and effectiveness of activities. The unit is also responsible for managing the financial support that my Department directs to the voluntary organisations that are engaged in the delivery of services to Irish emigrants, particularly the more vulnerable and marginalised.

Officials of the unit are active on the ground in developing contacts with the full range of partners involved. They have had a wide range of meetings in Ireland with Departments and agencies that have a role in the provision of services to emigrants. They have also had meetings with organisations that provide frontline services to Irish people in the US, London, Birmingham, Coventry, Luton and Manchester, including with groups supporting Irish people in need of special attention and assistance such as older emigrants, Travellers and undocumented Irish people in the US. Further meetings are being planned for the period ahead. Close and ongoing exchanges of this type ensure that those in the voluntary sector engaged in the provision of services to our emigrants have an effective channel of communication to the Government. In this way, we can ensure that the needs of our emigrants continue to be accorded the highest priority and that our response is effective and is developed further in the period ahead.

I am delighted to have met many of the people who work with our vulnerable emigrants, including during my visit to the London Irish Centre in December. I was pleased to hear that the establishment of the Irish abroad unit, and the significant increase in funding secured for emigrant services, have been warmly welcomed by those who provide critical frontline services to our communities abroad.