Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will reverse the decision contained in Budget 2009 to cut funding to the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism, the result of which will be the closure of their office and laying off of all staff, the potential loss of a €4 million EU funding programme and ultimately the loss of the collective expertise built up by them. [40228/08]

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 75: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the basis for the decision to abolish the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Inter-Culturalism; the anticipated financial savings arising from this move; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40165/08]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 75 together.

The Government announced, as part of the Budget measures, that funding to the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) would cease and its functions would be absorbed into my Office to be administered directly by it.

The NCCRI has received funding from the Justice, Equality and Law Reform Vote throughout the past decade and has done valuable work in combatting racism and promoting diversity. However, the establishment of my Office and the new arrangements outlined in my statement, Migration Nation, mean that we must review the purpose of existing expenditure and, in this context, I believe that it was appropriate to cease this funding and absorb the functions of NCCRI into my Office.