Trevor Sargent
Question:8 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the procedures, if any, in place for identifying suitable programmes for cross-Border funding by the International Fund for Ireland. [13665/96]
Written Answers. - International Fund for Ireland.
Noel Ahern
Question:27 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the positive effects, if any, of the additional international funding, other than that provided by the EU, since 1994 on the six southern Border counties, including any special initiatives undertaken since then. [19192/96]
Noel Ahern
Question:33 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the administrative structures and procedures which have been put in place for applications for additional international funding, other than from the EU, in support of the peace process. [19194/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 27 and 33 together in so far as they refer to the International Fund for Ireland. Questions concerning other funds are being answered separately by other Ministers.
The mandate of the International Fund of Ireland, which was set up in 1986 by the Irish and British Governments, is "to promote economic and social advance and to encourage contact, dialogue and reconciliation between nationalists and unionists".
The work of the fund, by the nature of its mandate, involves cross-Border activity. However, since the fund is an independent body, operational matters, including decisions on identifying suitable programmes, their extent and duration, are the responsibility of the board of the fund. The Deputies might like therefore to pursue any more detailed inquiries directly with the fund.
As regards the effects of fund moneys on the Border counties since 1994, the total sum involved would come to around £15 million. This money has been spent across the wide range of programmes which the fund operates. These include, for example, support for community economic initiatives in disadvantaged towns and villages or on assistance with the development of tourism marketing skills.
One of the most striking examples of the fund's involvement with cross-Border work is the Shannon-Erne Waterway, now a thriving success, but a project where fund support was crucial from the outset.
All this good work of the fund is only possible because its donors — the EU, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — continue to believe in what it is achieving. A great debt of gratitude is owed to these countries by the people of Ireland, North and South, for their generous support for the fund over the past ten years.
The Government regard the work of the International Fund for Ireland with the highest esteem. If confirmation were needed, following a recent lengthy investigation of the fund by a committee of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body, the body concluded that it was "impressed by the operation and performance of the IFI and the unique and distinctive role it has developed for itself in promoting reconciliation and economic regeneration in the region". This committee encouraged the two Governments and donors to continue their support for the fund.