THE Government provides only "a scandalous" £240,000 annually to peace and reconciliation groups compared to £10 million dispensed by the British government, the umbrella organisation for such bodies has claimed.
The Irish Peace and Reconciliation Platform, to which 10 peace groups are affiliated, complained yesterday in Dublin that not one of the political parties in Leinster House had appeared at a press conference to which they were invited.
Mr Ian White, chairman of the organisation and director of the Glencree Centre for Reconciliation in Wicklow, said all the political leaders had been written to, and asked to respond to a number of issues regarding peace.
The Platform wished to discuss with the politicians how the work of nongovernment organisations in this area complemented the efforts of both governments; the lack of a coherent strategy in the Republic for peace building initiatives; the need for everybody to engage in the peace building process and increased funding.
The Platform consists of Cooperation North, STOP, Northern Ireland Children's Holiday Scheme, the Peace Train, Peace 93, New Consensus, the Irish School of Ecumenics, Rosnowlagh Peace and Reconciliation Centre, the Irish Peace Institute Research Centre and the Glencree Centre.
