Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 386: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if funding will be provided to a project (details supplied) in County Mayo. [3651/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Applications to the Reconciliation Fund are reviewed on a periodic basis by an Inter-Departmental Advisory Committee. After considering each application on its merits, the Committee forwards its recommendation to me for final decision. The overriding aim is to ensure as widespread and equitable distribution of funding as possible, giving consideration to the strength of the cross-community and cross-border elements in the application; the level of funding available each year; and the number and quality of applications received.

An application was received by the Reconciliation Fund from the Mayo Peace Park on 29 January 2008. This was after the closing date for the current tranche of funding, which is due to be decided later this month. The application will however be fully considered by the Inter-Departmental Advisory Committee in the context of the next tranche of grants, the closing date for which is likely to be 19 May 2008. The group will be informed in writing once a decision has been made in relation to this application.