David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 307: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of money he has made available, including moneys allocated through EU initiatives, to develop, support and expand town and area twinning programmes each year from 2000 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28382/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of the Local Government Act 2001, the decision to twin a local authority area, or part of a local authority area, is a decision for the elected members of that authority. The Department of Foreign Affairs does not have any formal role in town or area twinning and no specific funding has been allocated by the Department for such programmes.

Our missions abroad do, from time to time, participate in events related to town and area twinning through hosting or attending functions and mission staff are available to provide practical support and advice. For example, the Irish Embassy in Rome made a cultural promotion grant of €3,000 this year to assist an Italian publication entitled Casa Italia: Gemellagi tra Italiae Irlanda concerning twinnings between Ireland and Italy.

The Deputy may also wish to note that funding was made available by Development Co-operation Ireland to "Partnerships Ireland Africa", a County Mayo-based organisation supporting partnerships between communities in the west of Ireland and Africa. This funding amounted to €10,000 in 2000, €13,500 in 2001, €2,500 in 2002 and €2,650 in 2003.

In regard to the EU dimension, the Institute for Public Administration, IPA, functions as Ireland's national contact point for twinning on behalf of the European Commission. Further details on twinning can be found on the IPA's website www.ipa.ie.