Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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400. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the cost of the emigrant support programme in each of the years 2008 to 2015; the estimated cost in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2343/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) provides funding to not-for-profit organisations and projects to support Irish communities overseas and to facilitate the development of more strategic links between Ireland and the global Irish.The focus of the Emigrant Support Programme is on initiatives that:

-address the needs of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable Irish emigrants;

-enhance access for Irish emigrants and Irish community organisations to local statutory and voluntary services;

-foster a more vibrant sense of community and Irish identity amongst the Irish abroad; and,

-encourage closer links between Irish communities abroad and Ireland, to the benefit of both.

In addition, since 2009, the Programme also supports projects aimed at creating practical results orientated links between Ireland and the global Irish, and projects that emerged as a consequence of the Global Irish Economic Forum.

The overall spend for the Programme from 2008 to 2015 is set out below. With regard to 2015, end of year accounts are currently being finalised so the figure provided below remains provisional. I would be happy to provide the Deputy with a complete list of 2015 grants in the coming weeks and they will also be published on my Department’s website at

The allocated budget for the Emigrant Support Programme in 2016 is €11,595,000.

* Provisional figure