The Diaspora Minister Jimmy Deenihan has announced €6.73m in support funding for Irish people in the UK.

The money is being made available through grants to 110 organisations across Britain.

The funds will be used for projects under the Emigrant Support Programme (ESP), which is operated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Speaking at the Irish Embassy in London, Minister of State Deenihan thanked Irish community organisations in Britain for their contributions to the formulation of Ireland's new Diaspora Policy, and for their participation in the first ever Global Irish Civic Forum held in Dublin last June.

The minister also paid tribute to the volunteers of Irish community organisations across Britain.

"Without exception, I'm told by every organisation I meet that volunteers are the backbone of the work they do" he said.

"Whether it's organising a tea-dance, visiting people in their homes or creating new databases and social media strategies, thousands of volunteers across Britain put an extraordinary amount of time and dedication into supporting their fellow Irish".

"This is a true reflection of the Irish meitheal tradition where a community comes together to help one another" he added.