Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 May 2013
61. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has met with the Ulster based youth engagement Wider Horizons group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25978/13]
View answer62. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has considered alternative funding arrangements for the Wider Horizons group in view of the winding down of International Fund for Ireland revenue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25979/13]
View answer63. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has raised the matter of Wider Horizons with the Departments of Education and Skills, Social Protection, and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25980/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 61 to 63, inclusive, together.
As I advised in my reply to PQ Reference No. 21088/13 of 7 May 2013, the decision to cease funding of the Wider Horizons Programme was taken by the Board of the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) which is an independent organisation. I understand that this decision was taken due to the very significant reduction in funds available to the IFI.
I would like to reiterate my belief that the IFI continues to have an important role to play and I agree with the focus of its new strategy which is targeted at those communities that have not previously, or only partially engaged in peace building and reconciliation activities. I have discussed that IFI role with the Northern Ireland Executive, the British Government as well as raising it with our friends in the US Congress and Capitol Hill during my visit to Washington D.C. last March. In a similar way, the Government has worked with EU partners to secure further funding under the EU Peace Programme. The Government supports the inclusion of cross border and cross community youth training as part of that programme.
It is regrettable that a programme such as this which has had such a positive impact on the lives of those trainees who participated in it has to come to an end. I understand that the Wider Horizons Programme was in receipt of approximately £4 million sterling per annum and the IFI no longer has the financial resources to maintain this support. However this is not a government programme and to respect the independence of the IFI, I do not think it would be appropriate for me to comment or to intervene further on the matter.
