Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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174. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the initiatives his Department is taking to try and better inform Irish citizens who emigrate to popular destinations about the realities of the employment market, cost of living, accommodation and social welfare arrangements in those countries; if his attention has been drawn to a problem of homelessness amongst Irish citizens living in London; his views on this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13711/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Whilst this Government is committed to implementing policies that will in the future ensure that no Irish citizen has to emigrate because of economic necessity, we continue to support organisations both at home and abroad that are assisting those who are emigrating today. This support is administered through the Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) which provides direct assistance to Irish emigrants, both longstanding and new. Since 2004, Irish groups ranging from those providing front line services to those most in need including the elderly, isolated, vulnerable and new arrivals, have received grants in the region of €100 million, under the Programme. The ESP provided support to over 190 Irish community and business organisations in 17 countries in 2013 and despite the economic situation I ensured that the ESP budget for 2014 - €11.595 million - remained at the same level as in 2012 and 2013.

The programme provides extensive funding to organisations acting as first port of call for new emigrants in traditional emigration centres such as Britain and the U.S.A. In addition to these traditional channels of support, funds are also provided to organisations supporting a wide range of business and graduate networks around the world.

Irish based organisations that offer pre-departure services to Irish citizens considering emigration, such as the Crosscare Migrant Project, also receive ESP funding. Crosscare provides training to mainstream service providers on emigration and returners’ issues whilst working in conjunction with Irish welfare organisations abroad (many of which are also funded by ESP) as well as both statutory and voluntary service providers in Ireland, including the probation service, Salvation Army and Safehome Limited.

A substantial portion of ESP funding is provided to a number of organisations primarily focussed on tackling the problem of homelessness. These include, in the London area, the Cricklewood Homeless Concern, the Safe Start Foundation in Middlesex, the London Irish Centre, the Luton Irish Forum and the NOAH Enterprise (Luton), amongst others.