Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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27.To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount allocated to the emigrant support programme in the years 2019 to 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31525/24]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for his interest in Government support for Irish communities abroad.

As the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, I am committed to implementing the Government's Diaspora Strategy 2020-2025. In that context, the Government's Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) continues to be the main driver of our engagement with Irish communities abroad. Since its inception in 2004, the programme has assisted more than 850 organisations, in 51 countries, with total grants of more than €237 million. This money has been used to support the most vulnerable and marginalised in Irish communities all over the world, as well as supporting cultural, heritage, sporting, academic and other aspects of Irish community life abroad.

As per a reply of the 28 May 2024 to the Deputy, the requested ESP budget figures for the years 2019-2024, including both the opening allocation and any adjustments during the year, are as follows:

This year's opening budget of €15.493 million is an increase of €1.6 million on the 2023 figure and is the highest opening budget to date for the programme.

As regards the projects supported, the Deputy will find the most up-to-date data here: www.ireland.ie/en/irish-diaspora/emigrant-support-programme/previous-funding/