Vol. 453 No. 3
13 Miss M. Wallace asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the announcement that, in future, all United States money given to the International Fund for Ireland should go to those companies in Northern Ireland which satisfy the MacBride Principles on fair employment. [9298/95]
18 Kathleen Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the proposals by the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee to scrap the 1986 American-Ireland Support Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9292/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 18 together.
Although established by the British and Irish Governments, the board of the International Fund for Ireland enjoys autonomous decision making powers within the terms of its mandate and its members act independently from Government. Over the last nine years the fund has received a cumulative contribution of some $250 million from the United States.
The US House of Representatives International Relations Committee last week endorsed principles of economic justice which broadly approximate to the McBride Principles. If enacted, such a provision would require that disbursements from the International Fund should comply with these broad principles. This Bill is expected to be considered by the full House of Representatives either today or tomorrow.
From the beginning, the fund has carefully ensured that all its disbursements are in accordance with the principle of equality of opportunity and non-discrimination in employment. Its current conditions of offer require recipients of fund assistance in Northern Ireland to formally accept the statutory fair employment code and to explicitly accept the principles of equality of opportunity and non-discrimination in employment. The question of the fund's application of the proposed new principles of economic justice would be a matter to be considered by its independent board.
Although only a first step in the legislative process, the decision of the international relations committee to authorise further financial support for the fund is encouraging. The recent visit to Ireland by the Committee's Chairman, Congressman Gilman, presented a useful opportunity for the Government, and indeed a number of individual Deputies, to emphasise to him the important role of the fund in helping to consolidate the peace process on the ground, and his interest is much appreciated.
A parallel process of consideration is also under way in the US Senate. As part of a substantial foreign aid reduction Bill, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Helms, had originally proposed that the Anglo-Irish Agreement Support Act, 1986, should be repealed. This Act provides the legislative basis for US contributions to the fund. Deputies will be pleased to know that, following representations from the Government, Senator Helms has in recent days decided not to proceed with his proposal to repeal the 1986 Anglo-Irish Agreement Support Act. The Government is most appreciative of Senator Helms' positive response to our representations on this matter.
As Deputies will appreciate, the question of future US support for the International Fund is both complex and fluid. It is also bound up with the wider debate in the United States on the reduction of the foreign aid bill and the elimination of the Federal deficit. I do not expect matters to be finally determined until later in the summer, when the House of Representatives and US Senate seek to reconcile their differing approaches to the issue.
In the meantime, the Government will avail of every opportunity to restate the case for continued US support for the International Fund at this critical time and to express its appreciation for the United States assistance over the last nine years. Indeed, over the next few days in Washington, I will be emphasising the need for continued Congressional support for the International Fund for Ireland.
I take the opportunity to join with the Tánaiste in welcoming the continuing contribution and commitment to the International Fund for Ireland by the US Senate and House of Representatives.
I am no expert on protocol or rules but is it not usual——
It is the Chair's prerogative to call speakers——
Even if that speaker has not put down the question.
I am dealing with a question put down by a member of the party for whom Deputy Burke is the main spokesperson.
That Member has not had the courtesy to turn up.
I do not propose to debate the matter with you now, Deputy. The Chair will be fair as at all times. It is the Chair's prerogative to call speakers or not to call speakers. Please resume your seat, Deputy.
Even if that person has not had the courtesy to turn up?
I do not need to discuss this matter at this time. I will call the Deputy and she will get a fair hearing, as always, in this House.
I join the Tánaiste in thanking the US Government, the President and Congress for their continuing support of the International Fund for Ireland which has played an important role in the last nine years. I would like also to take the opportunity of thanking the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Helms, for his agreement to withdraw his proposal. I will also be taking the opportunity, with the Leader of my party, to encourage continuing support of the IFI in the US.
Although the Tánaiste does not have direct responsibility for it, will he take the opportunity, with the board of the IFI, to encourage the board to be flexible in regard to applications before it from both sides of the community. There is concern about the procedures relating to applications, particularly among the representatives of the community associations on the loyalist side in east Belfast and in the Shankill and, in many cases, they would benefit from assistance in completing application forms. There is much to be said for giving the greatest possible assistance to overcome the bureaucracy. I understand the fund is helpful in that area but I would encourage the Tánaiste to make even greater efforts in regard to it.
I will communicate those views to the Chairman, and if the Deputy knows of people who have experienced problems of this nature, he should let me have details and I will pass those on also.
