Funding of €10.2 million (£8 million) for Irish organisations working in Britain has been announced today.
Speaking in London today, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, said: “I am delighted to confirm that our funding in 2008 to the Irish community in Britain has reached record levels."
This year alone, we will provide a total of over £8million . . . to over 135 organisations throughout England, Scotland and Wales. This [sterling] figure is up by 3 per cent on the 2007 allocation and brings total Government funding to the Irish in Britain over the past five years to €42.5million.”
The Minister said that the bulk of this funding has been targeted at the most vulnerable members of the Irish community, particularly the elderly.
Addressing an Irish community reception at the Irish embassy, Mr Martin said that despite the challenging budgetary situation at home, Irish Government funding for Irish communities abroad "will be maintained at its current high level of just over €15 million in 2009".
“Against the current economic background, this speaks volumes about the value we place on our diaspora and our firm resolve to assist those emigrants who are most vulnerable.”
Among the organisations that have been allocated funding are the Leeds Irish Centre, Manchester Irish World Heritage Centre, Portsmouth Irish Society, Irish Traveller Movement in Britain, Irish Oral History Archive, and Huddersfield St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Since 1984, over €50 million has been allocated to Irish community groups in Britain.
Mr Martin also called for a debate about how to further develop the relationship with Irish communities worldwide.
“As those who emigrated in their thousands from Ireland in earlier decades become older, will we be content to let their legacy be one of nostalgic remembrance of a heroic generation or will we grasp the opportunity that their achievements offer us?
“I firmly believe that we in Ireland and our communities in Britain and elsewhere have a unique chance to come together, to avail of new global opportunities and technologies and to forge a partnership of which those who went before would be proud,” Mr Martin said.
During his visit, the Minister also opened a new Government-funded day centre for elderly Irish emigrants at the London Irish Centre in Camden and visited the GAA facilities in the London suburb of Ruislip.