Dinny McGinley
Question:190 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the aid schemes administered by his Department to assist organisations working on behalf of Irish emigrants.
Written Answers. - Irish Emigrant Aid.
Since 1990 provision has been made in the Vote for Foreign Affairs for financial assistance to a number of Irish immigrant assistance groups in the United States. In 1990 and 1991, the Department made annual grant payments of £200,000 to these groups. In view of the current difficult budgetary circumstances the Government was reluctantly obliged to reduce the amount available in 1992 to £50,000.
In 1987 Irish Immigrant Working Committees were established in the main Irish centres in the United States — Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. They meet on a regular basis under the auspices of the Irish Consulates in those cities and serve as a forum for the various groups to co-ordinate their efforts and to identify areas where action is necessary. This very useful work through the Consulates will continue.
Aid schemes also exist to assist Irish immigrant groups in the United Kingdom. These are administered by the Department of Labour, advised by the Government Advisory Committee on Emigrant Welfare (the "DÍON" Committee) whose work is co-ordinated by the Irish Embassy in London.