John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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45. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details of each allocation from his Department’s expenditure budget to registered charities in each of the past three years. [2102/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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My Department is responsible for two Votes – Vote 28: Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Vote 27: International Cooperation. The Government’s international aid programme, Irish Aid, which is managed by my Department, is recognised internationally for its effectiveness in improving the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable communities.

About a quarter of Ireland’s overseas development assistance is channelled through development Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). This reflects the strong contribution which NGOs are making to the fight against world poverty and hunger, and the broad support which they continue to receive from the Irish public. Funding is provided to support the long-term development work carried out by NGOs in developing countries, as well as emergency humanitarian assistance and development education programmes.

Funding is provided to partner organisations following a rigorous appraisal process by Irish Aid. Funding applicants must meet strict and transparent criteria, have clearly identified, specific objectives, and have a record of demonstrable results indicating a sustainable and positive impact in improving the lives of some of the world’s poorest communities.

The statistical annexes to the Irish Aid Annual Report provide detailed analysis of Ireland’s ODA, across a range of metrics, including details of funding to non-governmental and civil society organisations. Statistical analysis of funding to NGOs in 2013 is currently being compiled and will be published in the middle of 2014. This will be on the lines of the details provided in the Annual Report for 2012, which included a breakdown of funding to NGOs and civil society organisations, across all funding schemes operated by Irish Aid, above a grant threshold of €50,000. For 2011, the Annual Report provided information on funding to NGOs through the main civil society funding schemes operated by Irish Aid at headquarters level. The Annual Reports are available on the Irish Aid website, at .

My Department provides funding for the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange (the Fulbright Commission), which is a registered charity, on an annual basis. The Commission was established by the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1991 to facilitate the administration of educational and cultural exchanges between Ireland and the United States of America. The Act provides that the Commission be for charitable purposes only within the meaning of section 333 of the Income Tax Act, 1967. The members of the Commission are nominated by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and by the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland. Funding provided to the Commission in each of the past three years was as follows: 2011: €254,000, 2012: €254,000 and 2013: €254,000

In addition, my Department’s Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) provides funding to non-profit organisations and projects to support Irish communities overseas and to facilitate the development of more strategic links between Ireland and the global Irish. Applicant organizations to the ESP should be established as registered charities, charitable bodies or voluntary/not for profit organizations.

While the vast majority of funding under the Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) is provided to organisations overseas, almost 12% of the budget is allocated to Irish based organisations. Recipient organisations here are typically active in providing services to returning or departing Irish emigrants or in promoting Irish heritage and sport abroad. Organisations receiving grants under the ESP are required to submit a financial report for each programme funded and financial accounts or audited financial statement. Full details of all funding provided by the Emigrant Support Programme can be found here:

In addition, my Department manages a small budget aimed at supporting projects linked to DFAT’s commitment to international peace, security and human rights. This funding is designed to complement and support Ireland’s priorities in relation to the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). The discretionary funding available to support such activities is approximately €300,000 per annum, the bulk of which is made up of payments to the UN and other international organisations. However, funding is also provided to support a number of projects managed by international civil society organisations, in areas such as human rights, conflict resolution and disarmament, and non-proliferation activities. A summary of the relevant expenditure over the last three years is set out below.

2011:

2012

2013

Through the Reconciliation and Anti-Sectarianism Funds , which support community development and outreach in Northern Ireland and the border counties, cross-border co-operation and sensitive commemorative and cultural events, my Department has awarded a total of €8,383,797 in the past three years (2011-2013 inclusive). A table of all organisations that have been awarded funding is set out below. Funding is awarded for project costs primarily. There are mechanisms for annual reporting and accounting by recipient organisations. Organisations in receipt of grants of €10,000 and above are required to submit a tax clearance certificate from the Revenue Commissioners and those in receipt of grants of €12,500 and above are required to submit independently audited accounts.