Vol. 514 No. 4
79 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government, in co-operation with the United Kingdom Government and the Northern Ireland Assembly, will put in place a fund for North-South community projects to encourage more contact between both communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2199/00]
As stated in the Good Friday Agreement, the participants to the agreement recognise and value the work being done by many organisations to develop reconciliation and mutual understanding between and within communities and traditions in Northern Ireland and between North and South. They see this work as having a vital role in consolidating peace and political agreement.
The Government strongly supports the joint pledge contained in the Good Friday Agreement to positively examine the case for enhanced financial assistance for the work of reconciliation. In this regard, they decided on 27 April 1999 to increase the funding available for North-South and Anglo-Irish co-operation in the vote of the Department of Foreign Affairs to £2 million, an eight-fold increase over the previous year.
In the last year, this increased fund enabled grants to be provided to some 60 organisations involved in a wide range of cross-community, educational, research and outreach activities. The fund is being maintained at this increased level for the current year.
80 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the proposals, if any, there are for the future development of the Council of the Isles; the plans, if any, there are for a parliamentary tier and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4306/00]
The British-Irish Council established under the Good Friday Agreement brings together the Irish and British Governments, with the Scottish, Welsh, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Channel Island administrations. The council is a forum where members can exchange information, discuss, consult and endeavour to reach agreement on co-operation on matters of mutual interest within their respective competencies. At the opening summit of the council in London on 17 December last, an indicative list of issues suitable for its future work was agreed. In this regard five priority areas – drugs, transport, social exclusion, the environment and the knowledge economy – were selected as matters for early discussion in the council. The Government will take the lead in moving forward co-operation in the area of drugs. Progress in these areas is to be examined at the next council summit, which is planned for Dublin.
The Good Friday Agreement also encourages the parliamentary institutions of the BIC members "to develop interparliamentary links, perhaps building on the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body." The British-Irish Interparliamentary Body has for ten years played an important and constructive role in improving relationships and understanding between members of both Parliaments.
The Government is fully supportive of the development of an interparliamentary tier to the British-Irish Council. However, this is a matter for the Oireachtas and the other elected institutions concerned. In this regard, I am aware that the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body has begun to consider the question, and I look forward with interest to the outcome of its deliberations.
Finally, Deputies will be acutely aware of the difficulties that have arisen with the implementation of aspects of the Good Friday Agreement, and I know that they will fully share the Government's determination that these should be resolved at the earliest possible date.
