Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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49. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will report on her Department’s engagement with and support for the International Fund for Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66422/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Established by the Irish and British Governments in 1986, the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) works to promote economic and social progress and to foster dialogue, contact, and reconciliation between Nationalist and Unionist communities in Northern Ireland and the southern border counties. Over almost 40 years, the Fund has delivered transformative peace-building outcomes and strengthened community resilience.

Since 2021, the Irish and British Governments have also contributed to the Fund. The Irish Government committed €20 million to the IFI under its Connecting Communities strategy (2021–2024), and a further €4 million in 2025. In early 2025, following the cessation of funding from USAID, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade agreed to underwrite project funding for this year in respect of a number of projects that would otherwise ended in spring 2025.

This investment reflects the priority Ireland places on reconciliation, cooperation, and sustaining the gains of the Good Friday Agreement; and complements the Government’s broader Shared Island Initiative.

Despite progress, the IFI’s work remains essential. Cross-border tensions have re-emerged in the post-Brexit context, and many communities - particularly those historically marginalised - feel the benefits of the peace process have not fully reached them. The IFI’s independence enables it to operate in the most sensitive environments and to support projects that government bodies cannot, ensuring engagement with communities that are difficult to reach.

We remain firmly committed to the IFI, and continue to engage with its international donors and advocate strongly for sustained and enhanced support. Such backing is essential to ensure the Fund can continue its unique and effective role in consolidating peace, promoting reconciliation, and supporting communities across the island in the years ahead.