317. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the ways in which her Department reaches out to the Irish diaspora throughout the world, with a particular focus on North America; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25867/26]

Deepening our ties with Irish communities overseas and ensuring that the welfare of the Irish abroad remains at the heart of our diaspora engagement is a cornerstone of the work of the Department, and an ongoing focus of our embassy and consulate network around the world including our 12 diplomatic missions in the United States and Canada. Engagement with the diaspora is a key component of Government visits to the region and was strongly reflected in recent St. Patrick’s Day programmes across the region.

Central to our approach is the Emigrant Support Programme (ESP), which provides grants to organisations in the voluntary sector who work with our most vulnerable citizens and communities overseas. The ESP also supports projects that nurture our cultural heritage, promote vibrant networks among the Irish abroad and provide advice for emigrants who wish to return to Ireland.

Since its establishment in 2004, the ESP has granted over €265 million in support of more than 900 organisations in 53 countries. Our budget allocation for support for the diaspora in 2026 is €17.5m, the highest allocation to date.

In 2025, over €4.5 million was granted to 141 organisations in the US. These grants supported frontline services including those provided by the network of Irish Immigration Centres as well a broad range of cultural and business related events. A further €477,000 in grants was allocated to 34 organisations in Canada. Full details on the ESP including all the organisations who received grants in 2025 and earlier years is available on our website.

The Department also partners with the GAA on the Global Games Development Fund (GGDF) which supports initiatives that enhance the opportunities for meaningful games for the diaspora and others abroad, thereby nurturing a sense of community and strengthening Irish Irish identity internationally. In the US and Canada this year, over €112,000 has been allocated to support 56 GGDF projects across 50 GAA clubs. In addition, funding has been granted to support a number of Games Development positions in USGAA and New York GAA.

As part of the extensive consultations on the Government’s new Diaspora Strategy, I met with diaspora communities across the world including in Boston, Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Toronto. I also had the opportunity to meet with the Irish Business Community in Dallas during my visit to Texas to promote the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic that will take place later this year in Dublin.

The Programme for Government commits to publishing a new Diaspora Strategy. The new Strategy will be launched at the Global Irish Civic Forum that will take place on the 30th of April and 1st of May in Croke Park. The Forum brings together members of the diaspora and representatives of Irish community organisations from around the world for discussions on the challenges facing our overseas communities as well as knowledge sharing and networking opportunities. I look forward to meeting the more than 70 representatives attending from across North America.