Minister Flanagan visits Derry

Minister launches IFI strategy and visits Reconciliation Fund partner organisations

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan T.D., visited Derry last week (18 November) where he launched the new strategy of the International Fund for Ireland and also visited partner organisations funded through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Reconciliation Fund. 

“The sustained engagement of Reconciliation and IFI partner organisations makes an important contribution to progress experienced in the North West.” – Minister Flanagan

Minister Flanagan visited the Holywell Centre, a space from which a range of civil society work, sharing a premises and resources. Many of the NGOs which operate from the Centre have received funding under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Reconciliation fund, including:

• The Holywell Consultancy: a social economy company which empowers community and voluntary sector organisations
• Towards Understanding and Healing, and The Junction: which work together on community relations and peacebuilding
• The Foyle Womens’ Information Network: which develops the capacity of women to affect change, and
• REACH Across: which works with young people to reduce sectarianism

“I participated in the launch of the new strategy of the International Fund for Ireland, where I reaffirmed the Government’s support for the Fund” – Minister Flanagan

Minister Flanagan also participated in the launch of the International Fund for Ireland’s strategy 2016-2020. This is built on four programmes: the extension of its existing Peace Walls Programme; the extension of the Peace Impact Programme; a new Personal Youth Development Programme; and, a Shared Education Programme.

Minister Flanagan added: 

"I participated in the launch of the new strategy of the International Fund for Ireland, where I reaffirmed the Government’s support for the Fund - whose origins were in the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement, whose 30th anniversary was celebrated in recent days and which formally acknowledged the Irish Government's role in Northern Ireland.

In addition, the Minister visited the Museum of Free Derry, where he met members of the Bloody Sunday Trust, and the Apprentice Boys of Derry new Siege Museum, both longstanding partners of the Reconciliation Fund.

While in Derry Minister Flanagan affirmed the Government’s support for the A5 road project and announced his decision to provide €2.5 million for the North West Gateway Initiative. Minister Flanagan said:

“During my visit to Derry today I was pleased to announce the Government’s facilitation of the first phase of the A5 road from Derry to Strabane and the provision of €2.5 million in support of the Northwest Gateway Initiative.”