Written Answers Nos. 152 - 157
153. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the issues discussed at his recent meeting with Senator Gary Hart in relation to the talks process in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42429/14]
View answerThe Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, and I had a very positive meeting with Senator Hart in Belfast on 30 October. This meeting took place in the context of the current cross-party political talks in Northern Ireland, in which Senator Hart is playing an important role as US Secretary of State Kerry’s Personal Representative. The focus of discussion during our meeting was on how the Senator could best support the talks process and encourage the parties to move forward together.
Senator Hart met with a range wide of stakeholders while in Belfast. As well as his meeting with the Irish Government, he met with the Northern Ireland Executive Parties, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Chief Constable of the PSNI and a number of representatives of civil society.
Senator Hart’s appointment and the recent round of telephone contacts initiated by Vice President Biden are a further demonstration of the United States’ long-standing support for peace, reconciliation and economic renewal on the island of Ireland. I look forward to working closely with Senator Hart over the coming weeks.
154. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the issues discussed at his recent meeting with the Northern Ireland Executive parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42430/14]
View answerPolitical talks began on 16 October. The British and Irish Governments convened the current talks in order to address a number of key issues that have badly impacted on the reconciliation agenda and on economic renewal in Northern Ireland, including budgetary and financial issues, legacy issues (parades, flags and identity, dealing with the past), the working of the political institutions and outstanding commitments from the Good Friday and St. Andrews Agreements. Discussions have now taken place on each of these streams.
I have met with each of the Northern Ireland Executive Parties over the past few weeks, including in some cases, through trilateral meetings held jointly with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers. There has been positive progress in the talks. In the time ahead, the Government will continue to do everything possible to ensure that a comprehensive deal is reached that will deliver a positive outcome for people in Northern Ireland and throughout this island.
155. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide on an annual basis the funding provided for the Emigrant Support Programme in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the expenditure incurred to date in 2014; the programmes supported and the funding allocated to each programme this year; the provision made in his Department's Estimates for 2015 for this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42431/14]
View answerThe Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) provides funding to not-for-profit organisations and projects to support Irish communities overseas and to facilitate the development of more strategic links between Ireland and the global Irish. The focus of the Emigrant Support Programme is on initiatives that address the needs of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable Irish emigrants; enhance access for Irish emigrants and Irish community organisations to local statutory and voluntary services; foster a more vibrant sense of community and Irish identity amongst the Irish abroad; and encourage closer links between Irish communities abroad and Ireland, to the benefit of both.
In addition, since 2009, the Programme also supports projects aimed at creating practical results orientated links between Ireland and the global Irish, and projects that emerged as a consequence of the Global Irish Economic Forum and its follow up.
A list of payments made to date in 2014, to the value of €7,631,574, is attached below. Payments in respect of a number of approved grants are currently being processed and I would be happy to provide the Deputy with a complete list of 2014 grants following the end of the financial year.
The Emigrant Support Programme will maintain funding of €11,595,000 in 2015.
Funding of €10,546,458 was awarded under the Emigrant Support Programme in 2013, with €11,455,364 awarded in 2012 and €11,297,365 in 2011. Details of all grants awarded in these years are available on my Department’s website.
2014 Grants paid to date
|
Age UK Hillingdon |
€15,767.00 |
|
Aisling Project |
€113,522.00 |
|
Ashford Place (formerly CHC) |
€190,464.00 |
|
Bell Farm Christian Centre |
€9,460.00 |
|
Benefits Advice Shop |
€4,415.00 |
|
Birmingham TradFest |
€2,523.00 |
|
Blackfriars Advice Centre |
€12,574.00 |
|
Bolton Irish Community Association |
€6,307.00 |
|
Brent Centre for Young People |
€22,704.00 |
|
Brian Boru Club |
€23,966.00 |
|
Celtic & Irish Cultural Society |
€12,614.00 |
|
Connection at St. Martins, The |
€22,704.00 |
|
Conradh na Gaeilge, Glaschú |
€45,228.00 |
|
Console |
€50,454.00 |
|
Cyrenians (Edinburgh) |
€10,091.00 |
|
Doncaster Irish Association |
€4,213.00 |
|
Edinburgh's Festival of Ireland |
€3,784.00 |
|
Emerald Centre, The |
€55,500.00 |
|
Emerald Circle Club |
€3,772.00 |
|
Emerald Senior Citizens Group |
€6,307.00 |
|
Feith an Cheoil School of Irish Traditional Music |
€4,415.00 |
|
Felling Irish Association, The |
€757.00 |
|
Friends, Families and Travellers |
€22,704.00 |
|
Golden Shamrock Club, The |
€11,352.00 |
|
Greenwich Irish Pensioners Association |
€3,103.00 |
|
Halifax and District Irish Society |
€11,352.00 |
|
Haringey Cultural and Community Centre |
€182,896.00 |
|
Haslingden IDL Club |
€5,045.00 |
|
Hibernian Society, The |
€27,750.00 |
|
Huddersfield Irish Centre |
€4,415.00 |
|
Huddersfield St. Patrick's Day Parade Association |
€5,045.00 |
|
Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy (ICAP) |
€182,896.00 |
|
Innisfree Housing Association |
€31,534.00 |
|
Irish Arts Foundation |
€85,772.00 |
|
Irish Chaplaincy in Britain |
€271,191.00 |
|
Irish Community Care Merseyside |
€291,751.00 |
|
Irish Community Services |
€254,637.00 |
|
Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith |
€144,257.00 |
|
Irish Elderly Advice Network |
€118,567.00 |
|
Irish Heritage |
€8,199.00 |
|
Irish Heritage Foundation, Glasgow |
€50,454.00 |
|
Irish in Birmingham |
€229,566.00 |
|
Irish In Britain |
€538,597.00 |
|
Irish Literary Society |
€2,523.00 |
|
Irish International Business Network (IIBN) |
€31,534.00 |
|
Irish Network Stevenage |
€946.00 |
|
Irish Pensioners Choir |
€2,397.00 |
|
Irish Pensioners Forum of East London |
€5,045.00 |
|
Irish Repertory Theatre and Film Company |
€10,091.00 |
|
Irish Tuesday Club, Liverpool |
€8,829.00 |
|
Kilburn Irish Pensioners |
€2,515.00 |
|
Lancashire Federation of IDL Clubs |
€1,081.00 |
|
Leeds Gypsy & Traveller Exchange |
€54,238.00 |
|
Leeds St. Patrick's Day Parade & Celebrations |
€11,352.00 |
|
Leicester & Leicestershire Irish Forum |
€42,255.00 |
|
Lewisham Irish Community Centre |
€65,590.00 |
|
Liverpool Irish Festival |
€9,460.00 |
|
London Gypsy and Traveller Unit |
€112,891.00 |
|
London Irish Amateur Rugby Club |
€9,053.00 |
|
London Irish Centre |
€630,676.00 |
|
Manchester Irish Language Group |
€631.00 |
|
Mansfield & Dukeries Irish Association |
€6,937.00 |
|
Marion Senior Citizens Group |
€2,523.00 |
|
Maya Centre |
€18,920.00 |
|
Milton Keynes Irish Centre |
€38,471.00 |
|
Mind Yourself |
€63,068.00 |
|
Momentum Care Irish Elders Centre (Rehab) |
€56,761.00 |
|
Monica's Place |
€73,158.00 |
|
New Horizon Youth Centre |
€47,931.00 |
|
NOAH Enterprise |
€90,817.00 |
|
North Wales Irish Society |
€7,568.00 |
|
Northampton Irish Support Group |
€62,107.00 |
|
Nottingham St. Patrick's Day Parade |
€6,307.00 |
|
Oxford Irish Society |
€2,844.00 |
|
Passage, The |
€46,523.00 |
|
Queen's Park Senior Citizen Group |
€5,045.00 |
|
Safe Start Foundation |
€104,692.00 |
|
SanKTus |
€30,272.00 |
|
SIFA Fireside |
€18,920.00 |
|
Solace Women's Aid (Camden Women's Aid) |
€50,295.00 |
|
South London Irish Association, The |
€12,614.00 |
|
Southwark Irish Pensioners |
€160,946.00 |
|
Southwark Irish Youth |
€6,307.00 |
|
Southwark Travellers Action Group |
€83,880.00 |
|
St. Michael's Irish Centre |
€66,852.00 |
|
St. Patrick's Festival Ltd. Birmingham |
€10,091.00 |
|
Streetwork UK |
€34,687.00 |
|
The Return ( formerly Return to Camden Town) |
€12,574.00 |
|
Tuesday Club Leeds Irish Centre |
€3,784.00 |
|
Tyneside Irish Centre |
€15,754.00 |
|
Tyneside Irish Cultural Society |
€40,363.00 |
|
Warrington Irish Club |
€7,568.00 |
|
West Hampstead Women's Centre |
€7,568.00 |
|
Irish Cultural Centre of New England |
€51,657.00 |
|
Irish International Immigrant Centre Boston |
€206,626.00 |
|
Irish Pastoral Centre |
€125,566.00 |
|
Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform |
€15,165.00 |
|
Chicago Irish Immigrant Support |
€147,862.00 |
|
Irish Heritage Centre Charitable Foundation, Inc. |
€15,894.00 |
|
Irish Network Chicago |
€6,066.00 |
|
Aisling Irish Community Centre |
€101,228.00 |
|
American Irish Historical Society |
€49,287.00 |
|
Battery Heritage Foundation |
€11,921.00 |
|
Catholic Charities Community Services |
€78,025.00 |
|
Emerald Isle Immigration Centre, New York |
€154,686.00 |
|
Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Foundation |
€3,791.00 |
|
Hudson Valley Irish Fest Inc. |
€6,824.00 |
|
Irish American Heritage Museum |
€7,583.00 |
|
Irish Heritage Society of Milford |
€7,947.00 |
|
Irish Immigration Centre, Philadelphia |
€98,954.00 |
|
Irish International Business Network New York |
€35,763.00 |
|
New York Irish Centre |
€104,641.00 |
|
Crossroads Irish-American Festival |
€7,947.00 |
|
Irish Outreach San Diego |
€39,597.00 |
|
Irish Technology Leadership Group |
€75,827.00 |
|
The University of Montana |
€27,815.00 |
|
Clifden 2012 Committee |
€5,000.00 |
|
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann |
€231,222.00 |
|
Crosscare Migrant Project |
€150,000.00 |
|
Ireland Reaching Out |
€120,000.00 |
|
Irish Research Ancestry Centre (Global Limerick Network) |
€10,000.00 |
|
National Youth Council |
€9,644.00 |
|
Safe Home Programme Ltd |
€227,889.00 |
|
Capital Area Chapter (Irish Canadian Cultural Association of New Brunswick) |
€2,845.00 |
|
Celtic Cultural Society of Nova Scotia |
€2,668.00 |
|
Celtic Fest Vancouver Society |
€3,557.00 |
|
Emerald Isle Senior Society |
€13,871.00 |
|
Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce Ottawa |
€3,557.00 |
|
Irish Canadian Immigration Centre |
€60,464.00 |
|
Irish Society Seniors' Drop-In |
€3,813.00 |
|
Irish Australian Support Association of Queensland (Brisbane) |
€57,708.00 |
|
Irish Club Western Australia |
€22,158.00 |
|
Melbourne Irish Festival |
€1,385.00 |
|
Irish Business Network, Austria |
€6,400.00 |
|
Le Cheile Shanghai (2013 Grant) |
€5,989.00 |
|
Malaysian Irish Business Network |
€6,391.05 |
|
Matabeleland Irish Association Bulawayo (2013 Grant) |
6,463.00 |
|
TOTAL Paid to date in EURO |
€7,631,574.05 |
156. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there is a list of applicants for positions on boards of State bodies in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42462/14]
View answerThere are no State boards or State bodies under the aegis of my Department.
157. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding a school building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42279/14]
View answerThe major building project to provide permanent accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy is in architectural planning. The Design Team are currently working on Stage 2a (Developed Sketch Design) and a draft Stage 2A report was recently submitted for review by my Department. This will be followed by a Stage 2A stakeholders meeting which will include the school and its design team. Subject to no issues arising, the project will then be authorised to progress to Stage 2B - Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals (including Planning Permission) and the preparation of tender documents. The project is included in the current five year school building programme. However, despite the details provided by the Deputy, the school in question is not designated as participating in the DEIS scheme.
