Fund for Ireland seeking continued US support

A delegation representing the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) is in Washington this week to press for continued financial support from the US for its work north and south of the border.

The IFI, which was established by the Irish and British Governments in 1986, committed more than €36m to projects last year which promote reconciliation and social and economic advance. The Fund's total expenditure since 1986 is more than €750m.

The Chairman of the Friends of Ireland caucus, Republican Congressman Mr Jim Walsh, will meet with the newly appointed Chairman of the IFI, Mr Denis Rooney, in Washington today to review continued United States financial support in what is a crucial week in terms of the budget framing process in the US.

Mr Walsh is a member of the House Appropriations Committee that votes substantial funds annually to support the IFI’s peace and reconciliation work in the North and six bordering counties.

In 2004 the US provided funding of US$18.5 to support the IFI and since its foundation has contributed US$421m in total.

Mr Rooney will also be meeting today with Mr Mitchell B. Reiss, the Special Envoy of the President and the Secretary of State for the Northern Ireland Peace Process. Later in the week he will visit USAID, a government agency charged with disbursing funds approved for the IFI.

The visit follows meetings with Canadian representatives in recent months that resulted in Canada doubling its level of financial support for the IFI.

Speaking in Belfast prior to his departure, Mr Rooney said: “We have strong support for continued US funding of the IFI in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

This visit takes place at a time when there are heavy demands on the US budget. Our objective is to reinforce to Congressman Walsh and other members of the Friends of Ireland caucus the fundamental importance of continued US support for building cross community reconciliation and integration in Ireland , north and south of the Border.”

Mr Rooney will also meet with Democratic Senator Pat Leahy and Congressman Peter King, both members of the Friends of Ireland caucus - a bipartisan working group of House members involved in Irish American relations.

Mr Rooney is accompanied by the Joint Directors General of the IFI, Mr Alexander Smith and Mr Niall Burgess, who respectively head the IFI offices in Belfast and Dublin.