FUNDING of €19.5m has been allocated for the Irish Government’s Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) for 2027.
The amount was confirmed this month as Ireland’s budget for the year ahead was revealed.
A €19.5m ESP funding pot has been confirmed for next year, an increase of €2m on the €17.5m in grants issued under the scheme this year.
Now in operation for more than 20 years, the ESP provides financial support for organisations across the globe which support members of the Irish diaspora.
Diaspora Minister Neale RichmondMinister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond welcomed the increased allocation, claiming “building greater connections with the Irish abroad benefits all of us”.
He explained: “For more than two decades, the Emigrant Support Programme has supported the delivery of vital services to the most vulnerable of our diaspora and initiatives that nurture our culture and identity around the world.
“The increased funding of €19.5m available for 2027 - by far the highest to date - reaffirms the ESP as the flagship programme for delivering the priorities set out in our new diaspora strategy.”
The 2027/2028 ESP grant application window will open on December 9, 2026, and remain open until January 14, 2027.
Elsewhere in the budget the government confirmed a €12.5m investment in its passport service, which it expects to experience a 25 per cent increase in demand in 2027.
“The Passport Service continues to provide an excellent service to our citizens, and maintaining a modern, efficient and responsive service remains a priority for this government,” Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee said.
“We are expecting passport demand to increase by 25 per cent next year.” she added. “Thanks to significant reforms and improvements introduced in recent years, the service is well positioned to meet this increased demand within existing staffing levels.
“Funding provided in Budget 2027 will ensure the service is equipped to respond to the anticipated high level of demand.”
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