Feargal Quinn (Independent)

How could we bring a team from America and then tell them they could not cross the Border or they would not be covered? I am pleased to say the Minister accepted my amendment on Report Stage and the Bill achieved what it set out to do.

I have been enthusiastic about the success of the fund. I have met the students who come here practically every year and have been impressed by their commitment and what they are attempting to do. My question is whether there are alternatives to providing €20 million now. I read a transcript of the debate last week in the Dáil and was disappointed at the lack of discussion or proper examination of the Bill. We can all extol the virtues of the Irish-American relationship and congratulate ourselves on our efforts but the fact is that the situation has changed. I do not think we have €20 million now. I accept that the money is to be spent over five years and that we promised in 2007 to fund the programme. We have since had Mr. Colm McCarthy's an bord snip. We have also had a budget and cutbacks. We have endured a huge amount of pain in many areas, including education, and there are much more pressing and worthwhile causes, on which the money could be spent. I, therefore, question whether at this stage we are wise to spend €20 million on this programme, although it was correct to invest in it when the fund was created.

One would get the impression from both the Government side and Fine Gael that cutting the funding would almost lead to disintegration and cause a collapse in Irish-American relations. That is a fallacy. The Government has some important questions to answer about the George Mitchell scholarship fund at this stage. That is a reversal of my position when the fund was created and in more recent years. The Government has put abroad the message that somehow Irish influence in the United States is waning and that we need to support schemes such as the George Mitchell scholarship fund if we are to maintain that relationship. The US-Ireland Alliance is enthusiastic about the fund. It has an obvious reason for perpetuating the message that there is a danger that Ireland's relationship with the United States is waning. It is simply not true. There is a brand new generation of Irish-American politicians such as Governor Martin O'Malley of Maryland who many believe will be a future presidential candidate. There are also Congressman Joe Crowley, a possible future Speaker, and Congressman Mike Pence, a Republican and also a possible future Speaker who will ensure there will always be an Irish power base on Capitol Hill. One only has to look at organisations such as the Irish-American Democrats and the Irish-American Republicans to see that they are thriving. I am a little concerned, therefore, at the suggestion that we have to do this or otherwise we will lose the strong link we have with the Americans, especially politicians there.

Given what I have outlined, I wonder whether we should reconsider taking this step. We could do so on a cross-party basis, involving the Independents as well as Fine Gael, the Labour Party, Sinn Féin and the Green Party, as well as those Members of Fianna Fáil who must have serious reservations about spending €20 million now when there are cutbacks in so many areas, including education. I accept that represents a sum of €4 million a year over five years. Perhaps we should reconsider the Bill or delay its implementation. That would be a logical conclusion, as I remain to be convinced that we should give away a massive amount of money in the current circumstances because we do not have it at present. Given our economic circumstances, it will be difficult to explain this Bill. In business, one examines results and the bottom line and I am sceptical about whether the fund has delivered the tangible results promised at the beginning. If even it was a good, worthwhile programme, which must be questionable, Ireland can make better use of €20 million over five years than giving it to students at a time of widespread education cutbacks, including for those with special needs, which we will debate tomorrow.

Circumstances have changed over the past two years. There were initiatives we could afford and I was happy to support them but when I consider the amount of pain we have had to take and the number of cutbacks that have been undertaken, I must question, in particular, following cutbacks affecting those most in need, including in the education sector, whether it is wise to spend €20 million on inviting Americans who will have a powerful voice in years to come to study here and whether this is the best use that can be achieved with this money. How easy will this be to explain to children with special needs whom we will discuss tomorrow?