EU gives IFI £40 million
Howard Lake | 12 October 2006 | News
The European Union has made a £40 million contribution to the International Fund for Ireland.
The IFI – set up by the Irish and UK governments 20 years ago – has garnered contributions that have delivered 6,000 projects costing more than £580m.
The European Commission has contributed more than one third of the total since 1989. It has now said it proposes to contribute another £40,529,575 between 2007 and 2010. According to IFI chairman, Denis Rooney, 2010 is likely to see the end of the IFI.
Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hubner said the funding was “a clear manifestation of the deep and ongoing commitment of the Union to the peace and reconciliation process in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland”.
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She said the IFI had “produced remarkable results in pacing the way towards a better and peaceful future” on both sides of the border.
The proposed extra EU funding will receive the necessary formal approval from EU ministers in December.
It is in addition to the £140m that will be allocated from EU regional policy funds to the programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE programme), which operates in Northern Ireland and in the border counties of the Irish Republic.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.