Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 8 Mar 1995

Vol. 450 No. 3

Written Answers. - Grant Aided Voluntary Bodies.

Hugh Byrne

Question:

77 Mr. H. Byrne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the voluntary bodies grant aided by his Department; the amount of grant aid allocated in each year since 1993; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5225/95]

The funding is available to voluntary bodies through the Department of Foreign Affairs Vote, and the Vote for International Co-operation, under a number of headings as follows:

Development Co-operation

A large number of voluntary bodies receive assistance for development projects and emergency relief work in developing countries under subheads C and E of the Vote for International Co-operation. They include developmental non-governmental organisations such as Concern, Trócaire and Goal, missionary orders carrying out relief and developmental work and, on occasion, indigenous NGOs in developing countries. Assistance is also given to emergency relief projects carried out by international voluntary bodies, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross. The details of all of these grants are published annually in the Department's Annual Report on Official Development Assistance, copies of which are available in the Dáil Library — the latest available report is the 1993 report and the relevant Annexes are 3, 11, 12(d), 14, 17 and 20. The 1994 report is currently being prepared.

North-South and Anglo-Irish Co-operation
Funds are available under subhead F of the Vote for Foreign Affairs to encourage North-South and Anglo-Irish co-operation. This is achieved by assisting organisations involved in reconciliation work and in efforts to create better understanding between people in both parts of Ireland and between Ireland and Britain.
Grants of £115,000 and £240,587 were made from the subhead in 1993 and 1994 respectively. The following voluntary organisations were assisted in 1993: Anglo-Irish Encounter; Co-operation North; Between; The Irish School of Ecumenics; Northern Ireland Children's Holiday Scheme; and Children's Community Holidays. These organisations were also assisted in 1994 and funding was in addition made available to the Glencree Reconciliation Centre; and the Warrington Project.
The allocation for subhead F for 1995 is £311,000, including grants to the Glencree Reconciliation Centre and Cultures of Ireland, which were provided for in this year's budget. In the context of this year's allocation, I will be deciding shortly on the individual allocations to be made to a number of organisations which are currently making a valuable contribution to North-South and Anglo-Irish co-operation.
Irish Immigrant Groups in the U.S.
Funds are available under subhead C of the Department's Vote to assist Irish immigration advice and welfare centres in the United States. In this regard, grants of £150,000 were made in 1993 and again in 1994. Details of the recipients of grants in 1993 and 1994 and the individual amounts they received were given by me on 22 March 1994 and 19 October 1994 respectively, in response to questions from Deputy McGinley. A sum of £150,000 has again been set aside in 1995 for distribution to welfare advice groups in the US working with Irish emigrants.
Cultural Relations with Other Countries
The sum of £213,000 was available under subhead G of the Department's Vote for 1993 for the promotion of Irish culture abroad. The allocation was increased to £400,000 in 1994 and has been maintained at that level for 1995. Individuals and groups, including those of a voluntary nature, may apply for funding for suitable projects under this heading to the cultural section of the Department. In 1993 some 217 grants were made available and this rose to 326 in 1994.
Contributions to Bodies in Ireland for the Furtherance of International Relations
The Irish Council for the European Movement (ICEM) and the Irish United Nations Association (IUNA) received a grant of £5,000 each in 1993 and again in 1994 under subhead E of the Department's Vote. Having remained static at £10,000 for a number of years, the allocation to the subhead has been increased to £14,000 in the 1995 Estimates.
Top
Share