John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

573. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the planned budget for the Irish Red Cross for 2021. [20161/20]

John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

575. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the planned budget for the Irish Red Cross for 2021. [20213/20]

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 573 and 575 together.

The Irish Red Cross Society was established by the Irish Red Cross Society Order 1939 pursuant to the Red Cross Act, 1938 and is an independent charitable body corporate with full power to manage and administer its own affairs.

Funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to the Irish Red Cross ceased in 2018 and there are currently no plans to resume funding in 2021.

It is the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s understanding that the Irish Red Cross receives funding from a number of other Departments and bodies in respect of various programmes provided or administered, most notably from the Department of Defence which makes an annual grant payment to the Irish Red Cross towards the running cost of its Headquarters. In 2020 this grant amounts to €965,000.

The planning and determination of the budget for 2021 is a matter for decision by Board of the Irish Red Cross. It is not possible at this time to state what the budget will be in 2021 as estimates discussions are ongoing.