P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 416: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount awarded by him to any of the organisations involved in social partnership for each of the years 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; the details of such payments; the amount awarded; the details of the payments by each of the agencies and bodies under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30989/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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A number of Social Partnership Organisations have received funding from my Department during the period in question, the details of which are outlined below.

In all cases funding is provided as part of regulated schemes operated by my Department. There are no state agencies under the aegis of my Department.

The Reconciliation and Anti Sectarianism Funds in my Department have provided support to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), as detailed in the table below. Throughout the Troubles and in the period since, ICTU has played a vital role in promoting improved community relations in Northern Ireland. The funding awarded has been used to support ICTU's ongoing work in Northern Ireland. In the period 2004-2006, funding supported the Trade Union and Community Protestant Leadership Course which provided training to community leaders in areas of weak infrastructure to establish, operate and develop community groups. These leadership development and capacity building programmes have been developed and continued in the period to date, specifically targeting marginalised communities. ICTU has also delivered anti-sectarianism capacity building programmes in workplaces across Northern Ireland. Part of the funding awarded is used, in consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs, to support small projects, run by local community organisations, designed to foster reconciliation and combat sectarianism in and between communities. The funds awarded under this scheme are subject to the provision of a project report and audited accounts.

My Department has also provided funding to the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas (ICPO) under the Emigrant Support Programme. This funding was divided between their Maynooth and London offices as follows:

*Includes grant of €44,350 to the Irish Episcopal Council for Emigrants.

The Department has extensive financial monitoring mechanisms in place in relation to this funding. All funded organisations are required to submit fully certified or audited accounts along with a detailed narrative progress report for each project for which Emigrant Support Programme funding has been provided. In addition, Departmental officials meet regularly with each organisation in receipt of funding.

My Department also provides funding to a number of social partnership organisations to promote deeper public understanding of global development issues. The table below outlines details of support which is provided through the Irish Aid programme. This includes a partnership between Irish Aid and the National Youth Council of Ireland to promote learning among young people on the links between local and global issues. Support for the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is primarily for the ICTU Global Solidarity Programme which aims to deepen understanding within the trade union movement of global development and labour-related issues, including child labour.

In 2008, funding also included an allocation of €20,000 to support a project by ICTU to strengthen the capacity of the Lesotho Congress of Democratic Unions.

In addition to the support outlined in the table, €10,000 was provided to the Conference of Religious in Ireland (CORI) towards the costs of organising an international conference held in Dublin in 2008.

Irish Aid Funding Awarded to organisations involved in Social Partnership

Social Partnership Organisations, like any persons or groups based in Ireland, are also eligible to seek funding for projects for promotion of EU affairs under the annual Communicating Europe Initiative. In the time available it has not been possible to ascertain whether any of the social partnership organisations received funding. My Department will make a search of its records for the years in question and we will advise the Deputy as soon as possible in this regard. ^^ Working Holiday Visas ^^

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 417: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of persons here who took up working holiday visas in 2007, 2008 and 2009 under the agreement with Argentina, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and the USA by country; the allocation of visas here for each of the countries in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31022/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Working Holiday agreements are concluded between Ireland and other Governments on a reciprocal basis. For Irish citizens the application is administered directly with the Embassy concerned or through a sponsoring organisation. While precise figures are not available in relation to the number of visa applications by Irish citizens approved in all of the countries listed, the table beneath sets out the visa allocation for 2010 and the available information on the number of visas approved in 2007 , 2008 and 2009.

In the case of Australia there is no specific allocation for Irish nationals under the Working Holiday Agreement. Approvals are usually dependent on meeting the eligibility criteria. The programme runs from 1st July to 30th June and the figures provided reflect these periods.

Allocations under the Working Holiday agreements for each of the countries concerned are reviewed on a regular basis. Allocations remain unchanged with the exception of Canada which increased from 2,500 to 4,000 in 2010. Information on visa approvals to the US is not released on an individual country basis so the figure below is an estimate.

The Working Holiday agreement with Argentina was concluded in September 2008 and figures are only available from 1st January 2009.

(i) estimated figure