MINISTER COWEN ANNOUNCES SPECIAL WTC GRANT
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Brian Cowen, TD, has announced a special WTC grant of $300,000 to assist Irish emigrant groups in dealing with the consequences of the attack on the World Trade Center.
The Minister thanked all of the organisations for their ongoing work in assisting Irish emigrants and the wider Irish-American community in the wake of the disaster.
At a meeting in New York with representatives of the Irish Immigration Working Committee the Minister had a broad-ranging discussion with about the impact of the attack, the likely number of fatalities among the Irish-American community and how best to deal with the situation and its aftermath.
The Minister assured the group of the Government's continuing commitment to assisting the Irish-American community.
The WTC Grant was allocated as follows:
Emerald Isle Immigration Centre: $112,500
Project Irish Outreach: $112,500
Aisling Irish Centre: $37,500
Irish Apostolate, USA: $37,500
Press Section
September 30, 2001
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Note for Editors:
Minister Cowen made a further announcement on funding of $300,000 for the year 2000/2001 in addition to the special WTC grant. These grant awards are in recognition of the excellent work being done by the various Irish immigration support groups across the United States in providing information, advice and outreach services to Irish immigrants, and is a practical expression of the Government's support for these efforts.
The announcement brings the total amount allocated to immigrant support organisations in the US by the Irish Government since 1990 to over 3.3 million dollars for immigrant centres across the US, in the following amounts:
Project Irish Outreach, New York $ 62,000
Emerald Isle Immigration Center, New York $ 62,000
Aisling Irish Center $ 9,000
Irish Apostolate, USA $ 7,500
Irish Immigration & Pastoral Center, Philadelphia $ 10,000
Irish Pastoral Center, Boston $ 48,000
Irish Immigration Center, Boston $ 48,000
Chicago Irish Immigration Support $ 12,000
Irish Immigration and Pastoral Center, San Francisco $ 18,500
Sinead Smith Counselling, San Francisco $ 9,000
Failte, Washington DC $ 10,000
The New York Irish Immigration Working Committee (IIWC) was established by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 1987 under the auspices of the Irish Consulate to co-ordinate the activities of the main organisation engaged in the provision of advice to Irish immigrants. The Committee includes senior figures in the New York Irish-American community and representatives of organisations assisting Irish immigrants in the New York area.Top
