TÁNAISTE LAUNCHES NEW DÍON STRATEGIC PLAN IN LONDON

At a reception to mark the allocation of Díon grants for 1998 in the Irish Embassy in London on Thursday 16 July, hosted by Ambassador Ted Barrington, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Harney, launched the new Díon Strategic Plan for the period 1998-2000.

The Strategic Plan details a number of policy changes to reflect current practice and proposed strategy for the future. These changes include making a small increase in the grant limit for organisations to £45,000 (from £40,000), with provision for annual review, and a number of changes to provide greater coherence and clarity for user organisations.

The total Government's 1998 Díon fund for Irish welfare and advice organisations working with the Irish community in Britain is £613,000. This year, 33 projects have received grants totalling £602,000. The remainder of the allocation will be awarded later in the year. Representatives of the organisations which have received grants were at the Embassy function.

The Tánaiste announced new multi-annual funding totalling £81,000 p.a. on the recommendations of the Díon Committee in the case of Action Group for Irish Youth Irish Community Advisory & Resource Group, Coventry Sólás Anois (a London based domestic violence refuge) Irish Welfare and Information Centre, Birmingham

The Tánaiste welcomed multi-annual funding for these projects and expressed confidence that it will assist these projects to become more viable and increase their prospects of securing greater level of funding from the statutory sector.

New funding of £4,500 will be provided in October next for the newly established London Irish Elders Forum, which the Tánaiste said "is a particularly welcome project that will give the Irish elderly in London a new voice to draw attention to their concerns and needs".

Earlier in the day the Tánaiste opened a housing scheme in Hackney for Irish people who have experienced homelessness and are in need of supported housing. The scheme has been developed by Cara Irish Housing Association. The Tánaiste pointed out that the "need for secure, affordable accommodation is an essential starting point for any emigrant trying to find their way in a new city in often difficult circumstances. The Irish housing associations are all addressing this most pressing need for many of our emigrants".

While in London, the Tánaiste also had discussions with members of the Díon Committee and met representatives of the Federation of Irish Societies.

Details of the 1998 Díon grants are attached.

The Irish Government in 1998 has provided financial support of IR£602,000 to voluntary organisations providing advisory and welfare services for Irish emigrants in Britain. The total grant available for 1998 is £613,000 and the balance of £12,000 is expected to be allocated to a research based project later in the year. In particular these grants support the employment of professional workers to provide advice, as well as practical assistance, to disadvantaged members of the Irish community. Since 1989, a small proportion of the grant has also supported key research into aspects of emigrant welfare problems.

Díon funding is allocated by the Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment on the basis of recommendations from the Díon Committee (the title is the Irish word for "shelter").

Organisations which receive grant aid are not all exclusively Irish-led nor are they all engaged exclusively in work with Irish emigrants.

Since the Díon fund was established in 1984 the total grants provided by the Irish government to organisations working with the Irish community in Britain amounts to over £6m.

The Committee comprises 7 members appointed by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, as follows:

Chair:	Leo Sheedy, First Secretary - Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Irish Embassy, London
Secretary:	Christina McElwaine, Third Secretary, Irish Embassy, London
Members:	Cllr. George Meehan; London; Ms. Breda Gray; Cork; Dr. Therese Joyce; London; Mr. Jim O'Hara; London; and Ms. Vicki Somers; Eastern Health Board, Dublin.

£20,000 as a contribution to core salary costs of the organisation which promotes the interests and welfare of young Irish people in Britain by researching, producing and disseminating information for young Irish people and influencing policy and practice. AGIY has also been awarded three year funding, in recognition of AGIY's strategic role in raising awareness around Irish community interests.

£2,500 as a contribution to the costs of administering and developing the Standardised Information System (SIS), in recognition of the usefulness of SIS and the data it generates. SIS is the database for Irish community service providers established by AGIY and FIS in 1992.

£17,000 funding for full salary costs of Director of this drop-in centre providing services, advice and advocacy for the homeless and badly housed Irish community in west London.

£10,000 one year funding towards the cost of establishing a new outreach alcohol service in west London for homeless Irish heavy drinkers, based in Acton Homeless Concern and Bridge Housing Association.

£18,000 salary support for Irish advice worker and Irish elders project worker.

£10,000 salary support for Irish advice worker providing information, advice, advocacy and employment support to vulnerable members of the Irish community in south London.

£40,000 as second year of three year funding - as salary support for social worker and information and advice workers offering outreach services, front-line information and advice on employment, benefits, accommodation for members of the Irish community in west and south west London.

£5,000 continuation of salary support for co-ordinator's post, working with the elderly Irish in Camden.

£21,000 salary support for manager's post at a day centre and residential alcohol project, offering advice and services covering a range of needs to single homeless Irish people in north west London.

£25,000 as second year of three year funding - salary support for Irish community care co-ordinator.

£40,000 as second year of three year funding - support for salary costs of social worker and day care organiser for front-line advice agency, offering outreach services, information and assistance with access to benefits, housing, employment, training, health care to the Irish community in north east London.

£35,000 to support the work of the Dublin based HQ which works for Irish prisoners abroad and salary support for two posts of the London branch of ICPO which provides support for Irish prisoners in Britain and their families

£16,000 for contribution to salary costs to facilitate expansion of service of this organisation for Irish voluntary service provider in Coventry. Three year funding of the organisation has also been awarded.

£28,000 continued contribution to salary costs for managing co-ordinator and health/housing officer in a front-line welfare advisory service meeting the needs of disadvantaged members of the Irish community in Manchester.

£25,000 continued support for salaries of front-line welfare advice workers working with elderly and isolated members of the Irish community in Liverpool affected by home homelessness, ill health and alcohol related problems.

£23,000 salary support for post of development manager for a vocational training consortium project involving other Irish community organisations in London. The project aims to provide a formal structure and model of good practice in the provision of vocational training to members of the Irish community in London who might not otherwise access these services.

£24,000 as continued salary support for two workers. Three year funding also awarded.

£19,000 funding for salary of project manager and vocational guidance worker with agency offering housing, employment, training and welfare services in Camden.

£6,000 salary support for Irish community support worker providing housing support, advice, advocacy and other support to single vulnerable Irish people in Leeds.

£15,000 salary support for manager's and outreach workers' salaries in advice centre working with homeless Irish people and those suffering from mental health and alcohol abuse problems in Luton.

£10,000 salary support for Irish project worker providing outreach service to young Irish people between the ages of 16 to 25 in north east London.

£21,000 salary for front-line advice worker working jointly with the Irish in Greenwich project - providing advice and advocacy to marginalised and disadvantaged members of the Irish community in the boroughs of Lewisham and Greenwich.

£10,000 contribution to salary of Irish youth worker, working with homeless and unemployed young Irish people aged 16-25.

£43,000 continued second year of three year funding as salary support for advice workers offering advocacy, advice and information to Irish clients.

£4,500 new funding from October next for developmental worker and administrative back-up to help set up a London-wide forum for Irish elders, with representatives of Irish elders groups.

£8,000 continued funding for salary of housing and advice worker offering front line housing and welfare advice to Irish women and their families throughout London.

£18,000 continued salary support for housing co-ordinator and job placement officer in organisation providing accommodation, housing advice, employment/vocational training and placement services for newly arrived young Irish people in north west London.

£21,000 support for salary of manager and refuge worker working with Irish women and their children fleeing domestic violence in London. Three year funding awarded.

£5,000 salary support for Irish worker providing support and outreach services for Irish families and individuals in Lambeth and Southwark suffering from domestic violence.

£8,000 salary support for four part-time outreach workers working with the elderly Irish in south east London.

£9,000 contribution to salary of coordinator for young adult travellers project in borough of Ealing.

£20,000 continued support for salaries of advice workers in front-line advice, information and support service for the Irish community in north west London, including isolated elderly, people affected by mental illness, families' support, unemployed, and newly arrived emigrants.

£25,000 new research grant for a study of health problems and care-seeking behaviour of Irish people presenting to Accident and Emergency Departments in Manchester.

Organisation	Amount Received IR£
Action Group for Irish Youth	20,000
Action Group for Irish Youth & Federation of Irish Societies (Joint)	2,500
Acton Homeless Concern	17,000
Arlington Care Association	10,000
Brent Irish Advisory Service (BIAS)	18,000
Blackfriars Advice Centre	10,000
Irish Support and Advice Service	40,000
Camden Irish Elderly Network	5,000
Cricklewood Homeless Concern	21,000
Federation of Irish Societies	25,000
Haringey Irish Community Care Centre	40,000
Haringey Irish Cultural and Community Centre	20,000
Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas - London/Dublin	35,000
Irish Community Advisory & Resource Group - ICARG	16,000
Irish Community Care Manchester	28,000
Irish Community Care Merseyside	25,000
Irish Employment and Training Consortium	23,000
Irish Welfare and Information Centre, Birmingham	24,000
Irish Centre Housing/Job Powerhouse	19,000
Leeds Irish Health and Homes	6,000
Luton Day Centre for the Homeless	15,000
New Horizon Youth Centre	10,000
Lewisham Irish Community Centre	21,000
The London Connection	10,000
London Irish Centre Charity	43,000
London Irish Elders Forum	4,500
London Irish Womens Centre	8,000
Safe Start Foundation	18,000
Sólás Anois	21,000
South London Family Service Unit	5,000
Southwark Irish Pensioners Project	8,000
West London Travellers Project	9,000
University of Manchester	25,000
Total	£602,000