Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the criteria set out by the interdepartmental committee on the reconciliation fund for eligibility for finance allocation for property development; the extent of funds allocated to date; the extent of funding available for allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23101/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The eligibility criteria as listed in the guidelines to the Fund are:

Reconciliation through education, courses, dialogue and culture

Developing and maintaining cross-Border links

Promoting improved Anglo-Irish relations

Promoting cross-community and interdenominational activities

Promotion of tolerance and acceptance of cultural diversity

Academic research aimed at promoting reconciliation

Contribution to political reconciliation.

All applications to the Fund are reviewed by an Advisory Committee established for this specific purpose. The Committee meets three to four times a year and comprises representatives from the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Recommendations for funding by the Advisory Committee are made to the Minister for Foreign Affairs after consideration of the following:

The strength of the reconciliation elements in the application

The track record of the organisation concerned

The level of funding available

The overriding aim is to ensure a widespread and equitable distribution of the Fund based on the merit of the individual proposals. A particular consideration is to assist small organisations involved with peace work on the ground. As the Fund has limited resources available, applications for property purchase or development would not usually tend to be approved.

The Estimates provided a sum of €3m under subhead F1 on my Department's Vote for 2007. As of 8 October, a total of €1,066,778 has been charged to this subhead. Further moneys have also been committed and will be drawn on supply of the relevant documentation by applicants. The Committee will meet again before the end of this month to consider applications received to date and further grants will be announced by me before the end of the year.