Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 Jan 2003

Vol. 560 No. 1

Written Answers. - Emigrant Support Services.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

180 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason funding for Díon has been cut by 5% for the year 2003, especially having regard to the recommendations of the Commission on Emigration and the serious impact the cutback will have on Irish community and voluntary groups in the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1174/03]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

I have a strong appreciation of the situation of many of our emigrants overseas and have had an engagement with many emigrant groups in the UK and have been fully supportive of their efforts. In particular, my involvement with the Díon fund enabled me to see and resource the focused and locally-delivered assistance and capacity-building which the fund supports. I have been able to dramatically increase the level of funding to Díon over the past few years. It was IR£500,000 for many years and only reached IR£750,000 in 1999. I managed to increase it above the £1 million level in 2000, above the £2 million level in 2001, and maintained it at that level in real terms in 2002.

The outcome of the Estimates process was a 5.3% reduction in the Vote of my Department for 2003. In line with this, the amount of moneys voted to Díon was reduced by 5% on last year's level, from €2.708 million in 2002 to €2.573 mill ion in 2003 – a reduction of €135,000. However, such an arithmetic approach does not give the full picture as it does not take account of the now more favourable euro/Sterling exchange rate movement. When looked at in terms of £Stg. it can be seen that, due to the appreciation of the euro since June 2002, when the main tranche of Díon grants was made, the £Stg. equivalent of the Díon fund was of the order of £1.623 million, €1 = £0.60Stg. The £Stg. equivalent of the 2003 voted amount for Díon is, at 27 January 2003, equivalent to £1.698 million, €1 = £0.66Stg. Therefore, there has been no reduction of impact in the UK.

I am supportive of the thrust of the main recommendations of the task force on policy regarding emigrants, i.e. that the needs and aspirations of the wider Irish family be identified and supported in an integrated manner and, of course, within available resources.