News
Welcome to the News section!
Emigrant support grants for US groups announced
Last updated on 23 Sep, 2010
Summary:
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Micheál Martin, T.D. today announced the allocation of grants totalling $2.3 million for 27 organisations in the United States. The funding is provided under the Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
In New York, where he is undertaking a series of engagements with Irish community groups in addition to an intense round of meetings at the UN, the Minister said:
“Our relationship with the Diaspora reached a new level following last year’s Global Irish Economic Forum at Farmleighin Dublin. This year’s grants further demonstrate the Government’s commitment to supporting the work undertaken by Irish organisations abroad, particularly those providing frontline services to the elderly and socially disadvantaged. I am pleased that this year’s funding of over $2.3mwill ensure that Irish organisations here in the US can continue to provide the exceptional level of service that has become their hallmark.”
Some $1.5m has been awarded to 15 welfare organisations across the US who provide a variety of services to individuals, families, young people, recent emigrants and the elderly within their communities. Services for the elderly will remain a key priority with almost $ 400,000 allocated to meeting their needs. In most of these cases, the funding has remained in line with 2009 funding.
Speaking of the key focus of the Emigrant Support Programme Minister Martin indicated that he has always insisted that welfare of the most vulnerable or needy abroad must remain the key priority of the Programme.“What is most heartening to me as Minister for Foreign Affairs is the positive feedback I receive when I meet recipient organisations across the globe and hear how frontline organisations are using the funding to improve the facilities and services they provide in order to enhance the lives of those who otherwise would be at risk due to health issues, isolation or their age. “
Demonstrating the Government’s ongoing support for organisations working for immigration reform in the US, the 2010 US grants also included grants of
$40,000 for the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (since 2006, ILIR has received $325,000 in ESP funding)and$10,000 for the Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform (bringing to $20,000 the total ESP funding granted to the CCIR to date).
The Minister noted that “immigration continues to be an issue about which there is much strong feeling in Ireland and among the Irish community in the US. Working with the Irish immigration reform groups and our friends on Capitol Hill and across the country to achieve progress on this challenging issue will remian a high priority for me”.
Speaking after his meeting in New York with representatives of ILIR and the Coalition of Immigration Centres, Minister Martin stated that he had “encouraged our community groups to continue lobbying and campaigning actively to garner maximum support. Clear broad based community support for immigration reform is a vital component of the reform debate”.
NOTE FOR EDITORS
Since its inception in 2004, over €83 million/US$$105 has been allocated ot the Emigrant Support Programme.
