Minister Richmond announces £6.5 million to support Irish communities in Britain
- Published on: 23 October 2025
- Last updated on: 23 October 2025
Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond TD, has announced details of over £6.5 million (just under €7.6 million) in Emigrant Support Programme grants to 110 organisations for some 192 projects supporting the Irish community in Britain.
Speaking at the Irish Embassy in London, Minister Richmond said: “Over the last 9 months, I have visited community groups in London, Coventry, Birmingham, Glasgow and the north of England. I have heard first-hand how challenging the last number of years have been. I also saw how these communities did not shy away. Your commitment, care and dedication in nurturing both our people and our shared heritage reflects the values that epitomise the very best of us.
“Behind the 110 organisations supported by the Emigrant Support Programme, there are thousands of individual stories. This funding will allow them to continue to tell those stories of lives being enhanced and connections being forged.”
Minister Richmond added: “The Tánaiste and the Government are committed to an ambitious relationship with Great Britain. A common message I have heard from our communities here is real interest in supporting our work to deepen Irish-British bonds. Our diaspora have unique understanding and insights and I look forward to harnessing this goodwill to further enhance political and economic ties.
The Minister also recognised the Irish community’s contribution to the Government’s new diaspora strategy: “I thank all of you here in Britain who have taken time to contribute to Ireland’s future relationship with our diaspora, be it at the consultations in Glasgow, Warrington or London, or through the Global Irish Survey, which I launched here in London in July and which has received over 10,000 responses from around the world. It was important that we heard from a range of voices across the community. Your insights and experience will help us shape a stronger strategy.”
Notes
Global Ireland: Ireland Diaspora Strategy 2020-2025 sets out what the Government will do over the next five years to support and engage with our diaspora communities around the world. The Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) remains central to this commitment.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, working through Ireland’s embassy network coordinates the provision of support to communities abroad and administers the ESP. By the end of 2025, the ESP will, since it was established in 2004, have allocated over €265 million in grants to more than 900 charitable and Irish community organisations in 51 countries.
Funding outlined above does not include funding to organisations based in Ireland for projects taking place in Britain, including the GAA & Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.
Consultations are underway on developing our new Diaspora Strategy. In addition to a series of in-person consultations with community groups around the world, the Government also hosted the first ever on-line consultation - The Global Irish Survey-, which received over 10,000 responses. The new Strategy will be launched at the 4th Global Irish Civic Forum that will take place in Spring 2026.
The Emigrant Support Programme funding year runs from 1 July – 30 June. Further details can be found on Emigrant Support Programme | Irish Diaspora | Ireland.ie
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Top 10 Funded Organisations in Britain 2025/2026 |
||
|
Organisation |
|
Funding (£GBP) |
|
London Irish Centre |
London |
£938,147 |
|
Irish in Britain |
Nationwide |
£440,000 |
|
Irish Community Care |
Liverpool |
£380,000 |
|
icap |
Nationwide |
£294,820 |
|
Birmingham Irish Association |
Birmingham |
£285,684 |
|
Irish Community Care Manchester |
Manchester |
£275,000 |
|
Irish Community Services |
London |
£259,000 |
|
Leeds Irish Health and Homes |
Leeds |
£258,500 |
|
Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith |
London |
£241,000 |
|
Brent Irish Advisory Service |
London |
£230,875 |
|
Top 10 Funded Cities/Regions in Britain 2025/2026 |
||
|
Order |
Location |
Funding (£GBP) |
|
1 |
Greater London |
£2,842,752 |
|
2 |
Nationwide |
£1,021,845 |
|
3 |
Merseyside |
£553,010 |
|
4 |
Yorkshire |
£474,935 |
|
5 |
West Midlands |
£398,684 |
|
6 |
Greater Manchester |
£388,310 |
|
7 |
East Midlands |
£211,500 |
|
8 |
Luton |
£207,500 |
|
9 |
Glasgow/Coatbridge |
£88,410 |
|
10 |
Tyneside |
£73,800 |
|
2025/26 Emigrant Support Programme |
|
|
Funding to Organisations in Britain |
|
|
Organisation Name |
Total Amount Allocated |
|
£GBP |
|
|
Acton Homeless Concern Emmaus House and The Damien Centre |
£12,000 |
|
Ashford Place |
£209,550 |
|
Bell Farm Christian Centre |
£8,500 |
|
Benefit Advice Shop |
£6,000 |
|
Benevolent Society of St. Patrick |
£6,000 |
|
Birmingham Irish Association |
£285,684 |
|
Bolton Irish Community Association Social Club Limited |
£12,000 |
|
Brent Centre for Young People |
£18,000 |
|
Brent Irish Advisory Service |
£230,875 |
|
Brian Ború Club |
£13,500 |
|
British Association of Irish Studies |
£4,000 |
|
Causeway Business Exchange Ltd |
£12,000 |
|
Ceann Creige Hurling and Camogie Club |
£3,500 |
|
Coatbridge Irish Heritage Committee |
£10,000 |
|
Conradh na Gaeilge Glaschú |
£41,610 |
|
Conradh na Gaeilge i Londain |
£5,000 |
|
Conradh na Gaeilge Learpholl |
£4,200 |
|
Corby Young At Heart |
£16,000 |
|
Coventry Irish Society |
£99,000 |
|
Derby St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Committee |
£2,000 |
|
Digital Irish - London Chapter |
£7,000 |
|
Dunedin Connolly’s GFC |
£2,500 |
|
Emerald Circle Club |
£6,000 |
|
Emerald Senior Citizens Group |
£4,000 |
|
Fréa |
£186,930 |
|
Friends, Families and Travellers |
£60,000 |
|
GATE Herts |
£25,000 |
|
Glasgow St. Patrick's Festival |
£9,000 |
|
Govanhill Baths Community Trust |
£18,000 |
|
Green Curtain Theatre |
£2,500 |
|
Gypsies and Travellers Wales |
£18,000 |
|
Halifax & District Irish Society |
£7,000 |
|
Harborough District Children and Young People's Charity |
£12,000 |
|
Haslingden, Davitt Irish Democratic League Club, The Land League |
£6,000 |
|
Huddersfield Irish Centre |
£4,000 |
|
Huddersfield St Patrick's Day Parade Association |
£5,000 |
|
icap - Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy |
£294,820 |
|
Irish Chaplaincy |
£119,025 |
|
Irish Community Care (Merseyside) |
£380,000 |
|
Irish Community Care Manchester |
£275,000 |
|
Irish Community Services (London) |
£259,000 |
|
Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith |
£241,000 |
|
Irish Elderly Advice Network |
£165,000 |
|
Irish Film & Television UK |
£17,000 |
|
Irish Heritage Limited |
£7,000 |
|
Irish In Britain |
£440,000 |
|
Irish in London Ltd |
£1,500 |
|
Irish in Scotland |
£3,300 |
|
Irish Literary Society |
£5,000 |
|
Irish Music and Dance in London |
£23,500 |
|
Irish Network Stevenage |
£9,000 |
|
Irish Pensioners Choir |
£10,500 |
|
Irish Pensioners Forum of East London |
£6,000 |
|
Kilburn Irish Pensioners |
£5,000 |
|
Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange |
£84,000 |
|
Leeds Irish Arts Foundation |
£30,000 |
|
Leeds Irish Health and Homes |
£258,500 |
|
Leeds St Patrick's Day Parade |
£10,000 |
|
Leicestershire GATE Ltd |
£32,000 |
|
Lewisham Irish Community Centre |
£129,768 |
|
Little Ireland Arts Collective |
£3,900 |
|
Liverpool Irish Centre |
£64,500 |
|
Liverpool Irish Festival |
£42,000 |
|
London Gypsies and Travellers |
£90,000 |
|
London Irish Business Society |
£5,000 |
|
London Irish LGBT Network |
£1,480 |
|
London Irish Walking Football |
£2,000 |
|
London Metropolitan University |
£5,000 |
|
London Wexford Association |
£1,000 |
|
Luton Irish Forum |
£207,500 |
|
Manchester Irish Education Group |
£3,000 |
|
Manchester Irish Festival CIC |
£5,000 |
|
Manchester Irish Language Group |
£1,500 |
|
Mansfield & Dukeries Irish Association |
£6,000 |
|
Milton Keynes Irish Centre |
£6,200 |
|
Milton Keynes Irish Welfare Support Group |
£5,000 |
|
Museum of the Home |
£5,000 |
|
NOAH Enterprise |
£40,000 |
|
Northampton Irish Support Group |
£45,000 |
|
Nottingham Irish Centre/ Golden Shamrock Club |
£9,000 |
|
Nottingham St Patrick's Day Festival |
£6,000 |
|
Portsmouth Irish Club |
£5,500 |
|
Republic of Ireland Walking Football Association |
£2,000 |
|
Roch’s Marching Band, Glasgow |
£3,000 |
|
Safe Start Foundation |
£37,736 |
|
SanKTus |
£25,000 |
|
Sheffield Irish Association |
£3,125 |
|
SIFA Fireside |
£10,000 |
|
Solace Women's Aid |
£28,000 |
|
South London Irish Association Ltd |
£11,000 |
|
Southwark Irish Pensioners Project |
£173,000 |
|
Southwark Travellers Action Group |
£57,000 |
|
TGP Cymru |
£34,000 |
|
The Emerald Centre |
£104,500 |
|
The Forgotten Irish Group (Manchester) |
£16,000 |
|
The Irish in the UK TV |
£14,000 |
|
The Jersey Irish Society |
£11,000 |
|
The London Irish Centre |
£938,147 |
|
The Maya Centre |
£29,000 |
|
The Passage |
£35,000 |
|
The Traveller Movement |
£150,000 |
|
Tyneside Irish Centre Limited |
£32,000 |
|
Tyneside Irish Cultural Society Ltd |
£41,800 |
|
Úna Gan a Gúna: Irish Women's Oral History Collective |
£3,396 |
|
W.E. Irish Community Interest Company |
£15,000 |
|
Wake The Beast |
£5,300 |
|
Warrington Irish Club |
£7,300 |
|
West Hampstead Women's Centre |
£7,000 |
|
Women's Irish Network |
£6,000 |
|
York Irish Association |
£5,000 |
|
110 Organisations |
£6,542,146 |