Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 303: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding a matter (details supplied). [44770/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Institute for International and European Affairs (IIEA) is an independent policy research think-tank and forum. The Institute's mandate is to identity and evaluate the strategic policy options for Ireland arising from its membership of the European Union.

The Department of Foreign Affairs pays an annual fee, currently set at €6,000, in respect of its corporate membership of the IIEA.

In addition, in the past the Institute has also received funding from my Department under the Communicating Europe Initiative (CEI). The scheme provides grants to organisations and individuals for projects aimed at increasing knowledge and awareness of the European Union. In 2007, the IIEA received funding of €3,000 under the CEI.

As part of the Department's public information campaign on the Lisbon Treaty, the Institute was paid €23,626 for Consolidated and Annotated versions of the EU Treaties, as amended by the Lisbon Treaty. Copies of these texts, which were published by the Institute, were made available on request to members of the public and were also distributed to all public libraries throughout the State.