asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount spent by the Government each year on the welfare of Irish emigrants in the United Kingdom.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Emigrants' Welfare.
20.
My Department operate a scheme for the repatriation from Great Britain to Ireland of Irish citizens who are regarded as being in need of repatriation assistance. Expenditure under this scheme amounts to about £1,000 a year.
A sum of £10,000 a year is provided in the Vote for the Department of Labour for the allocation of grants towards the improvement of information and advisory services for intending emigrants and for Irish nationals abroad anxious to return to work in Ireland.
Under Irish social security legislation and EEC regulations the Department of Social Welfare pay cash benefits to beneficiaries in other EEC countries. The amount currently being paid to such beneficiaries in the United Kingdom, most of whom are Irish emigrants, is estimated at £30,000 per week.
The embassy in London generally concerns itself with the welfare of Irish emigrants in the United Kingdom and two officers of the embassy are involved virtually full time on this work. The annual cost of maintaining these two officers in the embassy is of the order of £12,000.
Is it envisaged that there will be an extension of the service to our emigrants, particularly in view of present circumstances?
I regret the absence of the Minister who is abroad on public business. I do not think it would be proper for me to offer a view on what is evidently the point of view behind the Deputy's supplementary question. I will draw this to the Minister's attention.