Press release
MoS Cannon, T.D. announces over £5.5 million in Emigrant Support Programme Funding to the Irish Community in Britain
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Mr. Ciáran Cannon T.D., has announced details of over £5.5 million in funding for the Irish community in Britain. During a visit to London today to meet Irish community organisations the Minister thanked organisations for the valuable work they do in supporting the most vulnerable among our diaspora, as well as the broader Irish community.
In 2019, grants have been made to 105 organisations in Britain in support of a range of projects through the Government’s Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) which is operated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Minister said:
“I am delighted to be here in London to announce the Government’s contribution to the Emigrant Support Programme to over 100 organisations in Britain. Ireland is truly fortunate to have such a committed and dedicated group of organisations who continue to work tirelessly for the Irish community in Britain in terms of the provision of frontline support to those most in need, as well as playing a very important role in advocating for the needs of the wider Irish community. It is my hope that this funding will assist in the provision of a vibrant and active Irish community in Britain whose contribution the Government values very highly and who have an important role to play in the context of Ireland’s evolving relationship with the UK.”
ENDS
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 and Trade 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 the 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 more generally, funding projects which foster a sense of community, promote vibrant networks and a sense of Irishness among the Irish abroad. The Emigrant Support Programme funding year runs from 1 July – 30 June. Further details can be found on www.dfa.ie
Almost £30 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 2019-2020 Grant Round:
2019 ESP Funing Awarded to Organisations in Britain
| Organisation Name | 2019 IAU Recommended Funding £ | |
| Acton Homeless Concern Emmaus House and The Damien Centre | 30,000 | |
| Age UK Hillingdon, Harrow & Brent | 10,000 |
| Aisling Project, the | 107,000 |
| Ashford Place | 163,200 | |
| Bell Farm Christian Centre | 7,000 | |
| Benefit Advice Shop | 2,000 |
| Birmingham Irish Association | 208,800 | |
| Birmingham Tradfest Ltd | 5,000 |
| Bolton Irish Community association Social Club Limited | 8,000 | |
| Brent Adolescent Centre (Brent Centre for Young People) | 19,500 | |
| Brent Irish Advisory Service | 119,100 | |
| Brian Boru IDL Club | 15,250 | |
| Causeway Irish Housing Association | 4,500 |
| Causeway, Ireland Scotland Business Exchange | 25,000 | |
| Celtic and Irish Cultural Society | 12,500 | |
| Coiste Cuimhneachain An Gorta Mor | 3,000 | |
| Conradh na Gaeilge Glaschú | 43,150 |
| Conradh na Gaeilge i Londain | 4,000 | |
| Corby Irish Centre | 1,500 |
| Corby Young at Hearts | 9,000 | |
| Council of Irish County Associations - London ( CICA) | 11,000 |
| Coventry Irish Society | 60,500 | |
| Derby SPD Celebration Committee | 2,600 | |
| Edinburgh's Festival of Ireland | 5,000 | |
| Emerald Centre, The | 52,000 | |
| Emerald Circle Group | 4,000 | |
| Emerald Senior Citizens Group | 4,000 | |
| Feith an Cheoil School of Music | 7,000 |
| Friends, Families and Travellers | 35,000 | |
| Gloucester & District Irish Society Ltd | 35,000 | |
| Golden Shamrock Club | 8,500 |
| Greenwich Irish Pensioners Association | 4,000 | |
| Halifax & District Irish Society | 5,000 | |
| Haringey Irish Centre | 171,500 |
| Haslingden Davitt Irish Democratic League Club | 4,000 |
| Hibernian Society, The | 13,350 | |
| Huddersfield Irish Centre | 4,000 |
| Huddersfield SPD Association | 4,500 | |
| IIBN - Irish International Business Network | 31,000 |
| Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy (ICAP) | 151,400 | |
| Innisfree Housing Association | 4,000 | |
| Irish Chaplaincy | 247,000 | |
| Irish Club Warrington | 4,900 | |
| Irish Community Care | 287,800 |
| Irish Community Care Manchester | 166,000 |
| Irish Community Services in Greenwich,Bexley & Lewisham | 203,500 | |
| Irish Cultural Centre | 176,000 | |
| Irish Democratic League of Great Britain | 3,700 |
| Irish Elderly Advice Network | 106,000 |
| Irish Film London | 32,000 | |
| Irish Heritage | 7,500 |
| Irish in Britain | 400,000 | |
| Irish Literary Society | 4,300 |
| Irish Music and Dance in London (IMDL) | 21,000 |
| Irish Pensioners Choir | 3,800 | |
| Irish Pensioners Forum of East London | 5,000 | |
| Irish Studies Workshop | 3,000 | |
| Irish Tuesday Club | 7,500 | |
| Jersey Irish Society | 7,050 |
| Kilburn Irish Pensioners | 2,700 | |
| Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange (GATE) | 48,600 |
| Leeds Irish Arts Foundation | 38,000 | |
| Leeds Irish Health and Homes | 161,000 | |
| Leeds St Patrick's Day Parade | 9,000 | |
| Leicester & Leicestershire Irish Forum | 25,000 | |
| Leicestershire GATE (Gypsy and Traveller Equalities) | 20,000 | |
| Lewisham Irish Community Centre | 76,386 |
| Liverpool Irish Centre | 48,300 | |
| Liverpool Irish Festival | 11,500 |
| London Gypsies and Travellers | 79,000 |
| London Irish Centre | 955,000 |
| London Irish Graduate Network | 450 | |
| Luton Irish Forum | 134,500 | |
| Lynx Theatre and Poetry | 7,000 |
| Manchester Irish Education Group | 1,200 | |
| Manchester Irish Language Group | 660 |
| Mansfield & Dukeries Irish Association | 6,800 | |
| Maya Centre | 22,500 | |
| Milton Keynes Irish Centre Ltd | 11,250 | |
| Monica's Place Limited | 50,000 | |
| New Horizon Youth Centre | 30,360 | |
| NOAH Enterprise | 53,000 | |
| North Wales Irish Society | 3,500 |
| Northampton Irish Support Group | 43,000 |
| Nottingham St Patrick's Day Parade and Festival | 5,500 | |
| Passage 2000 | 35,000 |
| Portsmouth Irish Society | 2,000 | |
| Safe Start Foundation | 70,000 |
| Sandwell Irish Society | 34,500 | |
| SanKTus | 25,000 | |
| Sheffield Irish Association | 1,800 | |
| SIFA Fireside | 14,500 | |
| Solace Women's Aid | 35,000 | |
| South London Irish Association | 6,000 |
| Southwark Irish Pensioners Project | 113,200 |
| St Patrick's Festival Birmingham | 12,000 |
| St Thomas More Thursday Lunch Club | 700 |
| Teesside Irish Society | 2,500 | |
| Traveller Movement, The | 120,000 | |
| Tyneside Irish Centre | 16,000 | |
| Tyneside Irish Cultural Society | 30,500 | |
| West Hampstead Women's Centre | 7,000 | |
| West Midlands Irish Business Group | 4,000 | |
| Women's Irish Network | 7,000 | |
| York Irish Association | 4,000 | |
| Total awarded to organisations in Britian | £5,485,806 |
Collaborative Projects
| Lead Organisations | Project | Funding Awarded £ |
| Birmingham Irish Association, Coventry Irish Society and Sandwell Irish Society | West Midlands Irish Support Partnership Collaborative Project | 9,400 |
| Liverpool Irish Centre and Irish Community Care | Slainte Le Chéile Health Together Collaboration | 23,200 |
| Leeds Irish Health and Homes, Irish Community Care, Irish Community Care Manchester and Leeds GATE | Irish Northern Partnership | 40,000 |
| Collaborative Projects Total | £72,600 |
| Total ESP Funding Awarded to Date for Britain in 2019 | £5,558,406 |