Vol. 571 No. 4
252 Mr. Grealish asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent trip to Boston, when he visited the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton, Boston; his views on whether this is a wonderful development; if his Department will be in a position to grant financial assistance to this worthwhile project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21975/03]
I was delighted to have an opportunity to visit the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton, near Boston, on 11 July. The centre is a remarkable achievement, a living testament to the vision and endeavour of a group of Irish emigrants who have made their homes in the Boston area. Founded in 1989, the centre acquired land in Canton and, over a number of years, by drawing on volunteer labour from the centre's leaders and the local lrish and Irish-American community, began the development of a beautiful 46 acre campus, the first phase of which was opened in October 1999.
The current facility which I visited comprises top-class playing fields and stands, where Gaelic games, as well as men's and women's soccer and rugby are played. There is a wonderful playground for young children, and a substantial clubhouse. Here a wide range of cultural groups and clubs meet, classes of various kinds, including Irish language classes, are organised, theatrical and musical performances are staged and people of Irish heritage of all ages come together to enjoy themselves in congenial surroundings and keep Irish culture and traditions alive. At a reception there, I had the pleasure to meet very many of the centre's 4,000 or more members, who come from almost every county in Ireland and to hear what the centre means to them and their families and about their lives in the US.
The centre's president, Mr. Mike O'Connor, led the development during phase 1 and supervised the remarkable volunteer construction effort. He showed me the plans and model for phase 2, which envisages the creation of a 75,000 sq ft building, housing a conference centre, performing arts centre, restaurant-function rooms, a library and genealogy centre and various meeting rooms. I was also briefed about the centre's efforts to build bridges with other ethnic communities in the area in the form of joint cultural and sporting events, some of which the Consulate General in Boston has been pleased to sponsor.
I was deeply impressed by the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton and by the dedication and vision of those who have worked so hard to make it what it is today and what it hopes to accomplish in the years ahead. We in Ireland pay tribute to them for their outstanding achievements in the development of the centre and in the promotion of Irish culture and traditions in New England. As regards the provision of financial assistance, the centre would be welcome to apply to the Cultural Relations Committee at any time in respect of its cultural activities.
