Vol. 416 No. 4
70 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he supports North-South and Anglo-Irish co-operation and, if so, if he will outline the extent thereof; and if his attention has been drawn to the very valuable work being done by the various organisations previously assisted by his Department in view of the reduced amounts which he will be making available to them in 1992.
I applaud the very valuable work which is being undertaken by organisations in the field of North-South and Anglo-Irish co-operation. The object of this work is to achieve better understanding and to promote reconciliation between people in both parts of Ireland, and between Ireland and Britain. The organisations in question are endeavouring to foster links and contacts in the economic, social, cultural and educational fields. Some of them also play an important humanitarian role by organising holidays for people, and in particular for children, of both traditions who are living in deprived areas of Northern Ireland.
A number of the organisations which are active in this field are assisted under subhead F of my Department's Vote. Regrettably, due to the seriousness of the present budgetary situation, the Government have been obliged to reduce this year's subhead F allocation to £115,000 as compared with £200,000 in 1991.
I wish to emphasise, however, that the reduction in this year's allocation in no sense implies diminished appreciation, on my own part or that of the Government, of the importance and value of the work being done by the various organisations assisted. I hope that the budgetary circumstances next year may be such as to permit a higher allocation to be made to the subhead in question.
