Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total funding allocated in the Estimates for 2012 for the emigrant support programme; the amount spent under this programme for 2012; if he will list the recipient organisations in each country; the level of funding provided to each organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4799/13]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the funding allocated in the Estimates for 2013 for the emigrant support programme; if he will list the organisations in each country that will receive funding under this programme; the amount per organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4800/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 58 together.

The Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) provides funding to non-profit organisations and projects to support Irish emigrant communities overseas. The priority of the ESP, and of the organisations it supports, is in assisting the most vulnerable members of overseas Irish communities. 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.

The total funding allocated in the Estimates for 2012 for the Emigrant Support Programme was €11,595,000, with an outturn of €11,586,368. Details of all grant recipients since 2006 can be found on my Department's website, a full list of grant recipients and the amount that they received in 2012 is set out in the following table. I am pleased that despite the difficult financial situation we face, the Government has maintained funding under the ESP at a level of €11,595,000 for 2013. The 2013 grant round is now open and will close on 20 February. No decisions on the allocation for this year's grants will be made until after this date.