Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 May 2013
130. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to the recent publication by the National Youth Council of Ireland of the report Time to Go a qualitative research study exploring the experience and impact of emigration on Ireland’s youth his views on the findings of the report; and the steps that will be taken by him to address recommendations issuing from the report. [24125/13]
View answerI welcome the report of the National Youth Council of Ireland as a contribution to the ongoing debate on engagement with our overseas communities. However, I believe that the report would have more accurately reflected the Government’s extensive assistance to emigrants had the Council sought the views of the Irish Abroad Unit of my Department during their research.
While the Government is committed to implementing policies which will in the future ensure that no Irish citizen has to endure emigration by
economic necessity, we have also been extremely robust in ensuring that those who are emigrating today receive assistance from the
Government and Government supported organisations at home and abroad.
Today, our Diaspora engagement policy has two key strands, namely the Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) and the Global Irish Network.
The Emigrant Support Programme provides direct assistance to Irish emigrants, both long-standing and new. Since 2004, Irish groups ranging from those providing front line services to those most at need including the elderly, isolated, vulnerable and new arrivals to those working in the culture and heritage space have received grants of over €100 million under the Programme. At present, we work with almost 200 Irish community organisations in over 20 countries and despite the economic situation, I ensured the ESP budget for 2013 - €11.6 million - remained at the same level as in 2012.
The programme provides extensive funding to organisations that act as first port of call for new emigrants, including the GAA, the London Irish Centre, the Irish Canadian Immigration Centre in Toronto and several similar groups in Australia. We also support a wide range of business and graduate networks around the world.
Among the Irish based organisations who receive ESP funding is Crosscare Migrant Project which offers pre-departure services to Irish citizens considering emigration. Crosscare also provide training to mainstream service providers on emigration and returners’ issues and work in conjunction with Irish welfare organisations abroad (many also funded by ESP) and statutory and voluntary service providers in Ireland including the probation service, Salvation Army and Safe Home.
Officials from my Department will meet the National Youth Council of Ireland shortly to discuss some of the findings and recommendations from their report with a view to seeing if there are areas where the Council and the Department might be able to cooperate in future.
