Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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384. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the expenditure on the peace and reconciliation fund and the estimated full-year cost in 2017 of increasing funding by 5%; 10%; 15% and 20%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24129/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Reconciliation Fund, which is administered by my Department, was established in 1982 to support civil society organisations create better understanding between the people and traditions of the island of Ireland, and also between Ireland and Britain. Between 1982 and the end of 2015 approximately €44 million in funding has been allocated.

The signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 committed parties to “positively examine the case for enhanced financial assistance for the work of reconciliation”, leading to a significant increase in funding for the Reconciliation Fund by the Government at the time. As part of the 2014 Stormont House Agreement, the Government committed itself to guaranteeing the continued allocation of €2.7 million annually to the Reconciliation Fund.

If funding were increased in 2017 by the percentages indicated by the Deputy, the allocation would amount to:

Funding is currently awarded twice a year, and applications for the second round of this year’s funding will be accepted until 16 September 2016. Details of the application process are available on the Reconciliation Fund’s website: .