Abstract: The European Union (EU) is continually incorporating issues of migration and development in its policies as it stresses the need for their coherency with the aim of supporting the developmental outcomes of migration. Countries with a long history of immigration have already formed structures of “co-development” — cooperation among mainstream and alternative, migrant-led development initiatives. However, countries with a shorter immigration history are still in the process of recognition of migrants’ agency, which is the main presumption for effective cooperation among various development actors. This paper therefore deals with main aspects influencing the combination of “transnationalism from above” and “transnationalism from below” in the new countries of immigration — namely the incorporation of individual social remitting structures within the mainstream development sector. The case study of Irish Asian diaspora is used to present the social remitting practises of various migrant groups and their variable potential for cooperation with the mainstream developmental organizations.

Keywords: Migration and development; social remittances; co-development; European Union; Ireland; Asian diaspora