Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the efforts being made to assist the London Irish Forum identify alternative premises; if he has made contact with the appropriate local authority on behalf of the Irish community in Luton in order that alternative premises can be identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7701/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I take it the Deputy is referring to the Luton Irish Forum, which is currently in discussions with the local council about its accommodation. We wish to be helpful in every possible way to the forum in its important work in providing advice, information and support services to Irish people. The Government, for instance, through the DION fund, is helping support the forum's key advice worker post.

The Luton Irish Forum has developed a good relationship with the Luton Borough Council. It has, for instance, been successful in accessing a number of local statutory grant streams, itself a positive reflection of the quality of services which it provides. The forum is currently located within a building that is owned by the borough council and that is, unfortunately, due to be closed. However, the forum's management is in ongoing consultations with the council and, in these consultations, it is supported by a community development worker from the Federation of Irish Societies, a post which is also supported financially by the Government through the DION fund. I understand that the council has proposed alternative options which are now under consideration by the forum.

Officials of the embassy in London and the Irish abroad unit met with the management of Luton Irish Forum as late as January this year. They will remain in close contact with the management with a view to being helpful in every way possible.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 75: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the qualifying criterion for membership of the DION committee; the number of members of the DION committee who work at the frontline in the provision of welfare services to members of the Irish community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7700/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The practice relating to appointments to the DION committee, since it was established in 1984 by the then Minister for Labour, is that the Minister responsible appoints people to it who have a proven track record of working within the Irish community, as well as a keen awareness of the particular issues facing, and of concern to, our community in Britain.

The present membership of the committee comprises persons who have served in prominent positions in the Federation of Irish Societies, working in close collaboration with voluntary Irish organisations providing frontline services. It further comprises persons with particular knowledge and experience of health service issues and how these affect Irish emigrants, as well as those with an academic perspective on the experience of emigration. While I am open to extending the range of experience of members, and will review the situation from time to time, it has not been the practice to appoint members to the committee who are employed by frontline organisations in receipt of DION funding.

Apart from the chair and secretary, who are officials of the embassy in London and who act as the committee's secretariat, the committee members serve in a voluntary capacity and are not in receipt of any remuneration from the DION fund.