76 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the voluntary organisations funded by his Department in the latest year for which information is available; the amount provided; and the purpose of this funding. [14608/98]
Written Answers. - Voluntary Organisation Funding.
The following are details of voluntary organisations which are funded from the Vote of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Vote for International Co-operation. From the Vote for the Department of Foreign Affairs, £470,000 was provided in 1998 to the Cultural Relations Committee, which makes grants to give support to Irish cultural activities of excellence in other countries. In deciding on the activities to be assisted, attention is also given to their potential to promote tourism and investment from abroad.
The Department makes an annual contribution of £7,000 to the Irish United Nations Association, which is a voluntary organisation whose aim is to promote greater awareness of the UN organisation and its programmes.
The Department supports the Institute of European Affairs by making an annual £1,000 subscription towards corporate membership. The institute aims to provide an independent forum for the development of Irish strategic policy responses to the process of European integration through research, publications, expert working groups, briefings and seminars. The institute's activities have been of general benefit to this Department and its publications are made available to missions overseas.
The Department supports the work of the European Movement, Ireland — formerly known as the Irish Council of the European Movement — through an annual grant in aid. A grant of £7,000 was made in 1997 and a similar allocation is provided for in 1998. The European Movement disseminates information to the public about Europe and has developed a network of nine branches around the country which work to raise awareness of EU issues. It also hosts public briefing sessions on issues of interest on the European agenda.
A total of £252,000 was provided in grants this year to organisations promoting reconciliation and mutual understanding between North and South or between Britain and Ireland — the Reconciliation Fund. The 1998 grants were made last month. The allocations made to individual organisations are set out below.
Glencree Centre for Reconciliation |
£60,000 |
Co-operation North |
£60,000 |
Anglo-Irish Encounter |
£45,000 |
Between |
£35,000 |
Irish School of Ecumenics |
£23,000 |
The Irish Peace Institute |
£7,000 |
The Centre for Peace and Development Studies |
£10,000 |
Cultures of Ireland |
£10,000 |
Limerick International Band Festival |
£1,000 |
P.E.A.C.E. |
£1,000 |
IR£ approx |
|
USA |
|
New York |
|
Project Irish Outreach |
40,275 |
Emerald Isle Immigration Center |
28,863 |
Irish Apostolate Brooklyn/Queens |
24,702 |
Irish Aids Outreach |
671 |
Boston |
|
Irish Pastoral Center |
31,455 |
Irish Immigration Center |
27,352 |
San Francisco |
|
FOIR |
3,336 |
CARA |
5,671 |
CAEIL |
1,668 |
Irish Immigration Pastoral Center |
3,105 |
Los Angeles |
|
Southern California Irish Network |
1,334 |
Florida |
|
Emerald Isle Immigration Center |
2,013 |
Philadelphia |
|
Gaelic Immigration Assistance |
335 |
Australia |
|
1997 |
|
Melbourne |
|
Australian-Irish Welfare Bureau |
10,000 |
Sydney |
|
Irish Welfare Bureau |
3,500 |
Wollongong |
|
Irish Welfare Bureau |
1,500 |