Michael Ring
Question:81 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the welfare of Irish emigrants abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9978/04]
View answerWednesday, 31 March 2004
Questions (97, 98, 99, 100, 101)
Emmet Stagg
Question:86 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in regard to statements in the Dáil on 10 March 2004, the emigrant groups his Department has been meeting fortnightly, if not weekly, to co-ordinate activities in assisting them; the grants or funding that have been allocated to these emigrant groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter [9914/04]
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Pat Rabbitte
Question:100 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in regard to the dedicated unit in his Department which has been established instead of the agency for the Irish abroad, as recommended by the task force on emigrants, the number of staff in the unit broken down by grade; the funding available to the unit; the work undertaken to date by the unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter [9912/04]
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Róisín Shortall
Question:108 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will now publish the report of the interdepartmental working group considering the recommendations of the task force on policies regarding emigrants; if, in regard to the report of the task force, he will list those recommendations that have been implemented and those that have not; if a timetable has been set for the implementation of outstanding recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9892/04]
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Willie Penrose
Question:110 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps that have been made to implement the recommendation made in the task force on policy regarding emigrants that there should be increased financial assistance to voluntary agencies and programmes abroad which provide welfare services to Irish persons who are vulnerable or excluded; the finance his Department currently provides; if it is intended to increase such funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7964/04]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 81, 86, 100, 108, and 110 together.
The Government has been providing assistance to Irish emigrants in Britain, the United States and Australia for many years. The DION fund, which is administered by the embassy in London through the DION committee, has increased substantially in the past four years, from €592,300 in 1999 to €3.57 million this year. The total amount allocated in grants since 1984 is now almost €18 million. This year, my Department will provide a total of €400,000 to voluntary organisations in the United States which provide advocacy and support to Irish immigrants, an increase of 33% over 2003. Increased grants will also be given to Irish welfare groups in Australia.
I intend that, in allocating the additional funds which I have secured, priority will be given to improving services for the neediest and the most vulnerable among our emigrants, particularly in Britain, in line with the recommendations of the task force report. As regards the implementation of the report, action is being taken on more than two thirds of the recommendations. Some of the recommendations fall within the areas of responsibility of other Departments and I have asked those Departments to examine them to determine what progress has been made in implementing them. In this regard, my colleague, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, is implementing the recommendation that the Government give priority to the link between migration and social exclusion during our Presidency of the European Union, by organising a Presidency conference on reconciling mobility and social inclusion next April.
As regards other recommendations, the following examples will illustrate the progress that is being made. A key recommendation of the task force was that all funding for emigrant services abroad should be brought together under the Department of Foreign Affairs. This was done last year with the transfer of the DION fund from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
I secured an additional provision of €1 million in the Vote for the Department of Foreign Affairs for services to emigrants in 2004. This brings the overall expenditure by my Department on emigrant services this year to just over €4 million, an increase of one third on 2003.
The task force recommended that financial assistance be given to AN, the umbrella group for voluntary agencies providing information and advice to potential emigrants, to enable it to provide more effective support to its member agencies. I recently announced that part of the additional funds made available this year will be allocated for this purpose.
The task force also recommended that the Government continue its political engagement with the authorities in the United States as regards the position of undocumented Irish people in that country. During my recent visit to Washington, I met a number of prominent members of Congress with whom I discussed a draft Bill, which would regulate the status of undocumented Irish immigrants in the United States.
As the Taoiseach mentioned in this House on 10 March, an interdepartmental group, chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs, meets on a fortnightly basis to monitor progress in implementing the recommendations. I intend to establish the dedicated unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs when the Presidency is over. I have not yet reached a firm conclusion on the number or level of staff required for the unit.
The report of the interdepartmental working group which examined the task force's recommendations has been placed on the Department's website. I assure Deputies that I will continue to implement the report of the task force and to work in partnership with the Governments of the countries concerned and voluntary Irish agencies at home and abroad, to support our emigrants overseas.