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the challenge I R E L A N D T O D A Y I R E L A N D I S E X P E R I E N C I N G U N P R E C E D E N T E D E C O N O M I C D I F F I C U L T I E S Over 376000 people are living in consistent poverty in the Republic of Ireland. In Dublin alone over 500 children are living in temporary hotel accommodation due to an ever-lengthening queue for social housing. The number of homeless people in Cork has quadrupled in two years. In Dublin the number has tripled in the last ve years. At 204 billion US investment in Ireland is higher than the total invested in the BRIC economies combined and three times that invested in China. Unemployment is declining in Ireland and has dropped below 10 for the rst time since 2009. The number of Irish people emigrating fell 20 in 2014 the rst drop in seven years. 3 the promise T H E A M E R I C A N I R E L A N D F U N D D E S P I T E T H E S E S E R I O U S C H A L L E N G E S BELI EV ES T HA T I R E LANDS FUTURE IS FULL OF PROMISE . THE IRISH PE OPLE A R E E N E R G E T I C I M A G I N A T I V E A N D E N T R E P R E N E U R I A L . T H I S I S S E E N M O S T EFFECTIVELY IN THE NOT FOR PROFIT SECTOR WHERE EVERY PHILANTHROPIC G I F T H A S A H U G E I M P A C T . T H E P R O M I S I N G I R E L A N D C A M P A I G N A C C E L E R - ATED OUR GRANT-MAKING TO THESE GROUPS TO HELP THEM MEET THE HUGE I NCR EA S E I N DEMAND FOR THE IR SE RVIC E S. In 2014 Belfast attracted more foreign investment than any other city in the UK except London.