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Minister for the Diaspora, Colm Brophy T.D., announces over £5 million in support to Irish Community

 

Minister for the Diaspora, Colm Brophy T.D., announces over £5 million in support to Irish Community Organisations across Britain on visit to London.

 

  • Expansion of EU Digital Covid Travel Certificate to Irish passport holders resident in Britain
  • Over £5 million in grants provided to 99 organisations in Britain
  • Grants focussed on providing frontline welfare assistance and to support organisations rebuilding their services post-COVID
  • Funds going to organisations supporting British based survivors of the Mother-and-Baby Homes

 

The Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, Mr Colm Brophy T.D., announced details of over £5 million in funding for the Irish community in Britain during a visit to London today to meet Irish community leaders. The Minister thanked them for the vital work they have done to support the Irish in Britain - especially the most vulnerable - over the difficult period of the Covid pandemic.

The Minister also announced the expansion of Ireland’s EU Digital Covid Travel Certificate to cover vaccinated Irish passport holders resident in Britain.

The £5 million will assist 99 organisations all across Britain and comes from the Government’s Emigrant Support Programme (ESP), which is run by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Making the announcement at the Irish Embassy in London, Minister Brophy said:

I am delighted to be making my first visit abroad as Minister for the Diaspora to London to announce the Irish Government’s contribution from the Emigrant Support Programme to 99 Irish community organisations in Britain and to acknowledge the remarkable work of our Diaspora over the past 18 months.”

“While the greatest threat from the pandemic has passed, the year ahead will be challenging for all of our partner organisations as they rebuild their services and programme of activities.”

“My visit is a demonstration of the Irish Government’s continued commitment to support their efforts over the period ahead.”

“In addition to the traditional project supports, I am particularly glad to be able to make a contribution to those organisations that work with survivors of the Mother-and-baby homes resident in Britain. This new funding is in addition to that being considered in the broader redress scheme.”

On British–Irish relations, the Minister said:

“Despite current political uncertainties, our relationship with Britain remains strong.”

“During my visit I will also be addressing the inaugural event of a new UK & Ireland business network. An important forum to foster our trading and business partnerships in the face of the ongoing challenges of Brexit.”

“The ties to our communities across Britain have been boosted with the re-opening of our Consulate in Wales and the opening of our new Consulate to the North of England in Manchester only a few days ago.”

“The funding which I am announcing today will further support the strengthening of the relationship between Ireland and Britain.”

On travel, the Minister said:

“The re-opening of travel between Britain and Ireland is especially welcome. We are already planning for the return of our Diaspora this Christmas from Britain and elsewhere across the globe with a reiteration of our ‘To Be Irish at Christmas’ online platform and programme of events.”

“The sacrifices and sadness of so many in our Diaspora who have not been able to travel home to visit family and friends for so long is something I am deeply conscious of. For that reason, I am pleased to confirm the extension of Ireland’s Digital Covid Travel Certificate to include Irish Passport holders in the UK. This will facilitate travel across Europe for our British based Diaspora.”

Note for Editors on the Emigrant Support Programme

Global Ireland: Ireland Diaspora Strategy 2020-2025 sets out what the Government will do over the next five years to support and engage with our diaspora communities around the world. The Emigrant Support Programme remains central to this commitment.

Since 1984, the Irish Government has given financial support to voluntary agencies providing advice and welfare services to Irish emigrants overseas. The Department of Foreign Affairs working through Ireland’s embassy network coordinates the provision of support to communities abroad and administers the programme.

The main focus for funding under the Emigrant Support Programme remains frontline welfare service providers that support elderly Irish emigrants, and other vulnerable members of our communities worldwide. In more recent years, the programme has also recognised the importance of strong and active Irish communities, funding projects, which foster a sense of community, promoting vibrant networks and a sense of Irishness among the Irish abroad.

In 2021, the budget for the Emigrant Support Programme is €13,095,000. The Emigrant Support Programme funding year runs from 1 July–30 June. Particular priorities for this

year included an emphasis on supporting organisations rebuilding their services post pandemic, as well as seeking to reach out to under-represented groups amongst our diaspora. Further details can be found on www.dfa.ie

Almost £31 million has been provided to organisations in Britain through the ESP over the past six years.

Please see a list of organisations awarded funding in the 2021-2022 Grant Round:

 

2021 EMIGRANT SUPPORT PROGRAMME FUNDING AWARDED TO

ORGANISATIONS IN BRITAIN

Organisation Name

2021 Funding Awarded

£

Acton Homeless Concern Emmaus House and the Damien Centre

12,500

Age UK Hillingdon, Harrow & Brent

10,000

Aisling Project, The

107,000

Ashford Place

168,000

Association of Mixed Race Irish, The

10,000

Basingstoke Irish Society

5,000

Bell Farm Christian Centre

7,000

Benefit Advice Shop, The

2,000

Benevolent Society of St Patrick, The

5,000

Birmingham Irish Association

229,000

Bolton Irish Community Association Social Club Limited

8,000

Brent Centre for Young People (Registered as Brent Adolescent Centre)

19,500

Brent Irish Advisory Service

120,000

Causeway: Ireland Scotland Business Exchange

10,000

Ceann Creige Hurling and Camogie Club

2,800

Conradh na Gaeilge Glaschú

44,250

Corby Young At Heart Luncheon Club

12,500

Coventry Irish Society

88,450

Emerald Centre, The

74,200

Emerald Circle Club

4,000

Emerald Senior Citizens Group

4,000

Feith an Cheoil School of Traditional Music - The Fiddler of London 2021

13,000

Fréa Community Interest Company

33,320

Friends,Families and Travellers

50,000

GATE Herts

20,000

Golden Shamrock Club

8,500

Gypsies and Travellers Wales

15,000

Halifax & District Irish Society

6,000

Harborough District Children and Young Person's Charity

10,000

Haslingden Davitt IDL Club

4,000

Huddersfield Irish Centre

4,000

Huddersfield St Patrick's Day Parade association

4,500

IamIrish

44,418

Icap

156,400

Irish Arts Foundation, Leeds

38,000

Irish Chaplaincy

247,000

Irish Club, The

14,060

Irish Community Care

381,541

Irish Community Care Manchester

178,500

IRISH COMMUNITY SERVICES

205,000

Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith

182,000

Irish Democratic League of Great Britain

3,400

Irish Elderly Advice Network

145,000

Irish Film London

30,000

Irish Heritage Limited

8,000

Irish in Britain

400,000

Irish in the UK TV

10,000

Irish Literary Society

4,300

Irish Music and Dance in London (IMDL)

25,000

Irish Pensioners Choir

5,000

Irish Pensioners Forum of East London

5,000

Irish Tuesday Club

7,500

Jersey Irish Society

7,025

Kilburn Irish Pensioners

3,300

Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange (GATE)

45,845

Leeds Irish Centre

20,000

Leeds Irish Health and Homes

222,950

Leeds St Patrick's Day Parade & Celebrations

10,000

Leicestershire GATE (Gypsy and Traveller Equalities)

25,000

Lewisham Irish Community Centre

79,067

Little Ireland Arts Collective

1,500

Liverpool Irish Centre

42,200

Liverpool Irish Festival

11,500

London Gypsies and Travellers

81,000

London Irish Centre

506,250

London Irish LGBT Network

919

Luton Irish Forum

134,500

Manchester Irish Education Group

1,200

Manchester Irish Language Group

430

Mansfield & Dukeries Irish Association

3,200

Maya Centre, The

28,715

Milton Keynes Irish Centre

6,850

Milton Keynes Irish Welfare Support Group

5,000

Monica's Place Limited

20,000

NOAH Enterprise

45,000

Northampton Irish Support Group

43,000

Nottingham St Patrick's Day Festival

6,500

Passage, The (aka Passage 2000)

35,000

Portsmouth Irish Society

3,500

Royston Youth Action

3,000

Safe Start Foundation

56,500

Sandwell Irish Society

34,500

SanKTus

25,200

Sheffield Irish Association

2,205

SIFA Fireside

14,500

Solace Women's Aid

35,000

South London Irish Association

10,500

Southwark Irish Pensioners Project

136,200

Southwark Travellers' Action Group

43,000

St Thomas More  - The Thursday Lunch Club

750

Strange Fish Theatre Company

3,000

Traveller Movement, The

125,000

Tyneside Irish Centre Limited

16,000

Tyneside Irish Cultural Society

53,270

Wake The Beast

3,500

West Hampstead Women's Centre

8,000

Women's Irish Network

7,000

York Irish Association

3,500

Young@Heart Cafe

2,000

 

 

TOTAL ESP FUNDING AWARDED TO DATE FOR BRITAIN IN 2021

£5,173,715

 

ENDS

Press Office

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