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The 2015 Irish Network USA Annual Conference a Great Success!

The 2015 Irish Network USA Annual Conference was held in Boston last weekend, to resounding acclaim from attendees and speakers. The conference coincided with the fifth anniversary for the Boston chapter, a group which has worked to promote an enduring link between Ireland and the United States.

This conference was the third hosted by INUSA, with the first two being held in Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas respectively. These conferences provide an opportunity for INUSA members to hear from a variety of speakers on topics related to INUSA’s mission.

Irish Network USA, which now has over 20 chapters, with more than 5,000 members, is continuing to grow and its presence and influence, reaching across the US and now also Dublin. This year for the first time, delegates from the new Irish Network Dublin (IN-Dublin) were also in attendance.

In a statement issued by the President of IN-Boston, Sean Moynihan, said the group “has a sincere commitment to engaging the Irish diaspora – including Irish born, Irish Americans and friends of Ireland. Our goal is to celebrate our mutual interests in Irish culture, business, education, and social/community initiatives by providing opportunities and experiences for all of our members. Our network was one of the first chapters to be founded under our umbrella organization, Irish Network USA (IN USA), which is now 20 chapters strong and continues to grow.”

There was impressive lineup of keynote speakers, notably Ambassador of Ireland to the United States, Anne Anderson and Mark Redmond, Chief Executive of the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland, and Joanna Murphy, CEO of Connect Ireland.

Panels and speakers this year also included Gary Hanley of Invest Northern Ireland, Mark Gallagher of Silicon Valley Bank, Professor Liam Kennedy of the UCD Clinton Institute of American Studies, and Stewart Matthews of the Northern Ireland Bureau.

The conference was also host to the 5th anniversary of IN Boston, and was celebrated in style at the State House. Photos below!

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”30″ gal_title=”2015 5th Anniversary Party”]

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Irish government to continue level of support to Ireland’s emigrants

The Irish government will maintain the level of support it provides to diaspora communities abroad, Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan confirmed on Tuesday after the Irish budget was unveiled.

“I am also extremely pleased that in line with our recently launched diaspora policy Global Irish, Budget 2016 will see my department maintain its steadfast support for Irish community and diaspora groups in very many corners of the world through €11.6 million in funding under the Emigrant Support Program,” said Flanagan.

The budget also provided funding for ongoing modernization of the Passport Service, and further development of consular assistance capacities.

Flanagan also confirmed that Irish job creation, export growth and promoting Ireland’s attractiveness for investment, tourism and education will remain and develop as key priorities for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Ireland’s network of diplomatic missions. A seven percent increase in Official Development Aid budget has brought the overall budget up to €640 million.

Flanagan also committed to ensuring that Ireland’s consular services abroad remain strong and ready for immediate assistance. He said some 1,600 Irish citizens each year seek consular assistance while abroad – the most tragic in the U.S. this year being the Berkeley balcony collapse that resulted in the deaths of five Irish students and one Irish American.