asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the renovation work to the Irish College in Paris will be completed; the total amount of Government assistance being given to the project; when the renovated institution will be fully open to Irish people; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Irish College in Paris.
26.
I am pleased to be able to tell the Deputy that the newly restored section of the Irish College in Paris was formally opened by the Taoiseach at a ceremony there on Saturday, 7 October 1989.
The major part of the funds needed to pay for the restoration work which has been carried out at the college was raised by the committee of friends of the Irish College, under the chairmanship of Mr. Frank O'Reilly. In that connection I would like to pay tribute to Mr. O'Reilly and his colleagues for their tireless work on behalf of the college over the past four years. The State's contribution to the restoration of the college consisted of grants totalling IR£110,000, from the funds available to the Department of Foreign Affairs for cultural relations, and assistance in kind from FÁS amounting to £35,112, which made available trainees to carry out the restoration work.