Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 274: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of recent initiatives in respect of the Irish Abroad Initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23380/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Maintaining and strengthening links with Irish communities abroad is a key priority of my Department. Officials in our diplomatic missions and in the Irish Abroad Unit are very active in this regard and work closely with Irish community organisations across a wide range of issues.

The Government's firm commitment to enhance support for our communities abroad is reflected in the very substantial level of funding now available for emigrant services. This year, the unprecedented amount of €12 million has been secured for this purpose. This amount follows on other large increases in recent years, so that funding is now 12 times the sum that was available when this Government came to office in 1997.

While the primary emphasis of Government funding continues to be to support frontline welfare services, I am pleased that the additional funding has also made it possible to support a number of capital projects as well as initiatives which foster a greater sense of community.

Supporting the Irish community in Britain, in particular our older emigrants and those at risk of social exclusion, is an area of great importance. In recognition of this, I expect that some 80% of this year's overall allocation will be disbursed to groups there. Grant applications are currently under consideration and I look forward to making an announcement shortly.

Another priority area is that of the undocumented Irish in the United States. Over the St. Patrick's Day period, the Taoiseach and I availed fully of our valuable meetings with President Bush and Members of Congress to make known our strong support for measures that would enable the undocumented to regularise their status. I returned to Washington DC on 24 May to meet again with key legislators so as to reiterate the importance that we attach to this issue. The Ambassador and our officials in the US continue to raise the Government's views in their on-going contacts with key figures.

During my visit to Washington in May, I was happy to meet again with representatives of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR). This group is proving most effective and the Government has been happy to provide it with financial support. I also greatly appreciate the important work of the Irish welfare and advisory organisations in the US which assist our community there.

While most funding is directed to organisations abroad, I was happy to provide financial support recently totalling €200,000 to three organisations based in Ireland that are engaged in activities of benefit to Irish people abroad. The organisations in question are Emigrant Advice, the Safe Home Programme and the Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas.

Another positive development has been the recent decision of the Government to widen the eligibility criteria of the Centenarian Bounty scheme such that all Irish citizens born in the island of Ireland who have reached 100 years of age, wherever they may reside, are now eligible to apply for the Bounty.