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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Mar 2003

Vol. 563 No. 1

Written Answers - Departmental Funding.

Paul McGrath

Question:

262 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the moneys which were allocated in 2002 and the funding which is forecast for 2003, to Irish emigrant welfare associations throughout the world; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7204/03]

Last year my Department made available a total of €375,000 for Irish emigrant welfare associations in the United States and Australia. A total of $300,000 was given to groups in the US and Aus$56,600 was made available to Irish emigrant welfare associations in Australia.

The grant awards were in recognition of the excellent work done by Irish emigrant support groups in the United States and Australia in providing information, advice and outreach services to Irish emigrants. The funding is a practical expression of the Government's support for these efforts.
A total of €2.7 million was made available to emigrant welfare groups in Britain under the DÍON fund, which was then the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
This year €386,000 is available in the Vote for the Department of Foreign Affairs to fund emigrant welfare groups in the US and Australia.
Responsibility for the DÍON fund was transferred to my Department from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on 5 February 2003. This was to comply with a recommendation of the task force on policy regarding emigrants which proposed that all Government funding for emigrant services should be brought together under the Vote for Foreign Affairs.
The DÍON fund for this year is €2.573 million. While this is 5% less in euro terms than the figure for 2002, the appreciation in the value of the euro since then means that the sterling value of the fund will be maintained in 2003.
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