Groups supporting emigrants to get additional €1 million

Organisations supporting Irish emigrants will be allocated an additional €1 million next year under new measures introduced as part of Budget 2015.

The Emigrant Support Programme, a fund administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs, will remain the same as last year at almost €11.6 million.

The additional €1 million for "new diaspora projects" will come from the Department of the Taoiseach, where Jimmy Deenihan was appointed the first Minister of State for the Diaspora in the Cabinet reshuffle in July.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan said the increase in funding for groups supporting emigrants was "testament to the Government's commitment to supporting and working with Irish communities globally".

“While we rightly celebrate the successes of many Irish people around the world, we must not lose sight of those who haven’t enjoyed that success, those who are rendered vulnerable by loneliness, dislocation or other factors,” Mr Flanagan said, highlighting that welfare projects account for the majority of Emigrant Support funding.

“We also support culture and heritage projects and, in recent years, we have provided support to Irish business networks.

"In addition to the established centres of Irish emigration, new and strong communities are emerging in Western Australia, the Gulf, Canada, and elsewhere. It is important that we connect with those new communities and keep them in touch with Ireland. "

The Emigrant Support Programme has provided €115 million to groups serving Irish communities across the globe since its establishment in 2004, peaking at €15 million in 2008.

Last year, 182 organisations in 15 countries received funding for more than 350 projects under the scheme, mostly for welfare projects supporting vulnerable or elderly emigrants. Organisations in the UK and US get the highest allocation, but an increasing percentage has been given to business, culture and sports groups in Australia and Canada in recent years as the number of Irish emigrating there has increased.