Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Keaveney for raising this matter and giving me a chance to acknowledge the tremendous work being done under this specific programme and by the International Fund for Ireland. The Senator has confirmed that these advertisements, which take the form of short animated messages, were made under a cross-Border programme. The programme in question, Respecting Difference, is part-funded by the International Fund for Ireland, which is an independent international organisation established by the Irish and British Governments in 1986. Its objectives, as set out in its founding agreement, are to promote economic and social advancements and to encourage contact, dialogue and reconciliation between Nationalists and Unionists throughout this island. Since 1986, the fund has received international contributions from the US, the EU, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. At present, the EU and US contribute all of the funding, which is much appreciated. As required by the founding agreement, approximately 75% of the fund's expenditure is in Northern Ireland and approximately 25% of it is in the South. To date, the fund has committed over €811 million to more than 5,700 projects in Northern Ireland and the six southern Border counties. The board of the fund, which is appointed jointly by the two Governments, comprises a chairman, Mr. Denis Rooney, and six other members, who under the agreement establishing the fund act independently of the two Governments in discharging their decision-making roles.

In February 2008, the board of the International Fund for Ireland approved financial assistance of up to £1.1 million to allow the Respecting Difference programme to be rolled out to over 5,000 pre-school children, their parents and teachers in 240 pre-school settings over a three-year period, across Northern Ireland and the southern Border counties. Atlantic Philanthropies provided matching funding of £1.1 million. The Department of Education in Northern Ireland provided £200,000. Sufficient funding was not available at that time to implement the programme in counties Cavan and Monaghan. However, the board of the fund approved additional funding of €282,625 at its meeting in June 2010 to extend the programme to the two counties. The formal delivery of the programme in Northern Ireland and four of the southern Border counties - Louth, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal - began at the start of the 2008-09 school year. The programme will commence in counties Cavan and Monaghan in September of this year. Under the programme funded by the International Fund for Ireland, 12 groups have been trained and resourced to service design level in Donegal. Some 25 practitioners and teachers have completed the training and 104 parents have attended parent workshops. The total number of children in the 12 Donegal groups that have been exposed to the programme is 207. The reconciliation fund of the Department of Foreign Affairs has provided funding for 13 further groups to be resourced in Donegal, with at least two members of staff trained from each group.

The Respecting Difference programme originated from a 2001 research study of the attitudes and behaviours of young children in Northern Ireland. The study concluded that sectarian prejudices are present in three year olds, become significant in six year olds and are particularly pronounced in boys. Following the 2001 research, a pilot programme was developed. It was designed to change such attitudes and behaviours in young children, particularly with regard to sectarianism and inclusiveness. The pilot programme was found to have positive effects, and led to the development of the Respecting Difference programme. The programme offers children a range of activities and resources, which aim to increase awareness of diversity and difference issues; help children understand what it feels like to be excluded and thereby encourage more inclusion and understanding of those who are different; make respect for difference a real experience that children can share with their families; provide comprehensive training and awareness seminars for parents, teachers and school management committees; and provide resource packs and specialist support to each group.

As part of the programme, the advertisements referred to by Senator Keaveney are broadcast three times each year - in October, February and May or June - to coincide with each school term. The themes of the cartoons are physical, cultural and ethnic differences. The cartoons are broadcast at various times over a one-week period to catch children and adults. While mainly broadcast on UTV, they are also shown on Channel 4 and on RTE during "The Den". During the most recent run, they were broadcast on RTE on seven occasions over one week from 23 June to 30 June. I understand the promoters intend to broadcast them more frequently on RTE, particularly now that the Respecting Difference programme is being delivered in all the southern Border counties. However, it is a matter between Early Years, which is delivering the programme on behalf of the International Fund for Ireland, RTE and the other broadcasters to agree the terms on which the cartoon messages are shown.

The Senator and I are at one on the merits of the message conveyed and the wish that the series of cartoons and the respecting differences programme as a whole will succeed in addressing sectarian issues in preschool age children at that critical time when their attitudes are being developed. For the Senator's information, the Department of Foreign Affairs, through the reconciliation fund, has contributed €85,000 over a four-year period to support the introduction of the respecting differences programme to additional preschools in Northern Ireland and the southern Border counties.