Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

This is the first time the Deputy has raised the issue of the shortage of funding of €17,000 with me.

Without briefing myself on the entire issue and the financial situation I cannot give Deputy McGrath a commitment across the floor of the House on it other than to say that I will look at it. As Deputy McGrath is aware my Department provides funding for reconciliation purposes and provides support for the victims of the conflict. I hope to be able to continue that funding through this year. There is a system whereby various groups and organisations make applications for such funding. I will consider the issue Deputy McGrath has raised and the question of the money in that context.

I am mindful of the grief, sorrow, loss and the continuing sense of grievance that the families of victims of the Northern Ireland years of trouble are experiencing. This applies irrespective of whether those families are in Dublin, Belfast, Sion Mills or anywhere else. There has been a considerable amount of grief and hurt and this issue is on the agenda in the discussions I have directly with Secretary of State Paterson and those held on a bilateral basis between the Irish and British Governments. We are conscious that the issue must be dealt with sensitively and appropriately. There are areas where we disagree about what needs to be done. For example, one such area in respect of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings has been the continuing refusal of the British Government to make available the material sought by the Dáil.

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