Eleven projects were allocated funding under the Communicating Europe initiative in 2004. I am circulating a table setting out the details.
Three of the projects funded or part-funded related to the European constitution specifically. These were: an explanatory guide to the European constitution and accompanying leaflet produced by the Department of Foreign Affairs and widely circulated to the general public; a national forum on Europe DVD entitled, Towards a Constitution for Europe; and the Institute of European Affairs analysis, Europe Re-United: A Constitutional Treaty.
To date, three projects have been allocated funding in 2005. One of these, assistance towards the publication of a book on the European constitution by students at the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, relates to the constitution specifically, and will involve a contribution of approximately €1,500.
The UCD law faculty has been awarded €5,000 to assist with funding an international conference entitled, Ireland, Europe and the Challenge of Democracy: Ensuring Democratic Control over Government in European Union Affairs. This will touch on important aspects of the European Constitution.
Continued funding for a media consultant engaged by the Joint Committee on European Affairs has been agreed for the first four months of 2005; this amounts to a total of €6,924. A number of other applications for funding have been received and are being considered, and several of these relate to the European constitution. I expect that further applications will also be received.
In my view and that of the Communicating Europe initiative advisory board, the initiatives funded so far have been of a high quality and should make a useful contribution to greater understanding and awareness of the European constitution.
It should be noted, however, that the Communicating Europe initiative, which had a total budget of €195,000 in 2004 and has been allocated €200,000 in 2005, is an ongoing budget line. Its main purpose is to raise awareness about the European Union in general and to improve the quality and accessibility of public information on European issues. Given the modest level of its budget the initiatives it supports are on a relatively small scale.
Substantially greater funding will be made available specifically to increase public awareness of the European constitution through other channels, including the establishment of the referendum commission, the publication of a White Paper and the nationwide distribution of a short information guide.
Projects Funded under the Communicating Europe Initiative in 2004
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Initiative
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Expenditure
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€
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Explanatory Guide to the European constitution and accompanying leaflet. Funding granted to the Department of Foreign Affairs for the design, translation and publication of an explanatory guide and an information leaflet on the European constitution which were widely circulated to the general public.
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37,085.49
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National Forum on Europe DVD: Towards a Constitution for Europe
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21,725.66
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Europe Re-United: A Constitutional Treaty. In December 2004, funding was allocated to the Institute of European Affairs for this publication on the European Constitution.
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2,500.00
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ICA European Awareness Week — local ICA Guild events. The Irish Countrywomen’s Association, ICA, received €17,362.25 for their European Awareness Week in November 2004. The CEI also allocated €1,767.79 in funding to three ICA Guilds who undertook information initiatives in their localities in 2004. The ICA is one of the CEI priority groups.
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19,130.04
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Adult Education Materials on the EU. The National Adult Literacy Agency, NALA, received funding for the development of EU-focused education materials which will be published later in 2005. NALA is one of the CEI priority groups.
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40,000.00
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Youth Conferences. The European Youth Parliament received funding for a series of EU youth conferences across Ireland in 2005. The European Youth Parliament is one of the CEI priority groups.
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6,000.00
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Information leaflet on the EU Presidency. In February 2004, the CEI part-funded the production and distribution of 80,000 copies of a leaflet containing information on Ireland’s EU Presidency. The leaflet was circulated to schools, NGOs and libraries throughout Ireland.
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4,938.60
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Ireland Communicating Europe project. During the Irish EU Presidency, the CEI engaged two officers to devise and execute an information strategy aimed at capitalising on the enhanced profile of European developments during Ireland’s Presidency of the EU through the Ireland Communicating Europe section on the presidency website.
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25,000.00
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DVD: Day of Welcomes. In July 2004, CEI part-funded the production of this DVD which contains highlights of the ceremonies marking the enlargement of the EU at Áras an Uachtaráin on 1 May. The DVD was circulated to all second level schools.
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19,374.15
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Joint Committee on European Affairs Officer. Throughout 2004, the CEI provided funding to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs, JCEA, to allow it to engage a public relations officer to publicise the work of the JCEA.
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18,174.00
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Ireland and the EU book. In June 2004, the CEI provided €1,000 for printing costs associated with the publication of a book on Ireland’s experiences of EU membership, based on the Thomas Davis lecture series which was broadcast on RTE radio in 2002. The book, edited by Jim Hourihane, was officially launched by the Taoiseach in March 2004.
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1,000.00
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