Govt announces grants for Irish ex-pats in US

The Government today announced €1m in grants for Irish immigration organisations in the US.

The funding will go towards 16 frontline groups which provide support services to Irish ex-pats.

The total value of grants given to Irish immigration and community organisations in the US this year now tops €2m.

Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin, who is on a week-long visit to the US, said: “Irish emigrant communities have over the years contributed in different ways to the economic well-being of this country.

“It is important now that we continue to provide financial support to organisations that work with those Irish communities in the US and elsewhere.”

The Government has also allocated €34,000 to the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR) which campaigns for Irish illegals.

Earlier this week, the Irish and US governments signed the J Visa deal which will allow 20,000 Irish school-leavers to live and work in the US for a year.

The Working Holiday Agreement will also allow up to 5,000 US citizens to work and live in Ireland for 12 months.

In a bid to push for immigration reform, Mr Martin also held talks on Capitol Hill with the chair of the Immigration Committee, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren as well as Congressman Richie Neal of the Friends of Ireland group in Congress.