Minister of State for Regional Economic Development Michael Ring has welcomed the announcement that €28,000 in funding has been awarded to Mayo under the Local Diaspora Engagement Fund 2016. This funding is part of an overall funding of €350,000 which has been allocated to 105 local and community organisations around the country for projects and initiatives under the Local Diaspora Engagement Fund (LDEF ) 2016.
The grants approved to Mayo are as follows: Ballina Chamber of Commerce €2,000; Castlebar Chamber of Commerce €10,000; Irish Wheelchair Association, Erris branch €4,000; Kiltimagh Tourism Association €7,500; Moygownagh Community €1,500; Swinford Community Development Ltd €3,000.
Minister Ring said: “This fund is designed to promote diaspora engagement at a county, local, and community level. This funding will support the development of strong diaspora links within the community through a diverse range of projects including genealogy projects, networking and media initiatives, as well as literary and cultural events involving the diaspora. This will help local communities in further developing links with their diaspora. These grants also complement the funding that has been made available to Local Authorities for Local Diaspora Strategy Development in 2016 [€10,000 for each local authority]."
