Minister for the Diaspora, Colm Brophy T.D., announces over £5 million in support to Irish Community
News
20 October 2021
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
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