Written answers

Thursday, 21 July 2016

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Emigrant Support Services

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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380. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the funding he has provided to the emigrant support programme in 2016 to date and the various programmes he will fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23474/16]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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385. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current expenditure on the emigrant support programme and the estimated full year cost in 2017 of increasing funding on this programme by 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24130/16]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 380 and 385 together.

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.

A total of €11,595,000 has been allocated for the Emigrant Support Programme in 2016. This matches the allocation for 2015.

The closing date for applications for the 2016 round was 24 February 2016 and applications from over 230 organisations were received. Recommendations for funding have recently been approved and work is currently underway to contact all applicant organisations to inform them of awards of funding. While it is not possible to give an exact figure at this point, due mainly to currency fluctuations, it is expected that the overall level of funding provided this year will be similar to previous years.

In the majority of cases the organisations to be funded will have previously received ESP funding. A full list of previously funded organisations under the ESP can be found at www.dfa.ie/global-irish/support-overseas/emigrant-support-programme/.

The 2017 allocation for the Emigrant Support Programme is not yet known and will only become clear once decisions are taken by Dáil Éireann on the Budget in the autumn.

If funding were increased in 2017 by the percentages indicated by Deputy O’Brien, the allocation would amount to:

%
Plus 5 per cent€12.175 million
Plus 10 per cent€12.755 million
Plus 15 per cent€13.334 million
Plus 20 per cent€13.914 million

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