Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 254: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of discretionary funds allocated to the US-Ireland Alliance group by any of the four Irish consulates in the United States of America, as well as the Irish Embassy in Washington; the matters on which these funds were expended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16047/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The financial resources allocated to Irish Missions abroad, including the Embassy of Ireland in Washington and the Consulates in the United States of America, are primarily for administrative costs, allocated in line with normal budgetary arrangements, and do not involve significant discretionary funding.

Any funding decisions are taken by the Minister on the basis of careful consideration of the applications from relevant groups. No funds are allocated to the US-Ireland Alliance by the Department of Foreign Affairs.