Boys receive 40,000 in Irish peace money

The Apprentice Boys are just one of a range of local organisations to benefit from the funding initiative announced by the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Michel Martin last week.

The Minister committed the Anti Sectarianism and Reconciliation Funds to continuing to look for opportunities to reach out and support reconciliation initiatives and develop relationships concluding that "no community should be left behind on this journey."

Forty three groups are to receive a share of the 1.46 million euro in funding to underpin reconciliation initiatives.

Forty thousand euro from the Reconciliation Fund will go to the Maiden City Festival based in Londonderry.

The Maiden City Festival was introduced as a means to reduce the potential for violence at Apprentice Boys of Derry events and to create a better understanding of Protestant culture amongst all communities "towards a shared city for all."

Other projects approved for funding by the Minister under the Reconciliation Fund include: Derry Theatre Trust T/A The Millennium Forum Derry City 15,000 euro and the Tyrone Derry & Donegal Action Co Tyrone 15,000 euro.

Praojects to receive a share of a related Anti-Sectarianism Fund are: Bogside Artist (The) Derry City 12,500 euro; City Centre Initiative (CCI) Derry City 15,000 euro; Football in the Community - Teenage Kickz Derry City 30,000 euro; Junction (The)/ Irish School of Ecumenics Derry City 15,000 euro and the Pat Finucane Centre "Henry Cunningham Bursary" North-South 5,000 euro.

Commenting on the funding roll-out Mr Martin said: "Now more than ever we are committed to honouring the provisions in the Good Friday Agreement to provide financial assistance for the work of reconciliation."

Reaffirming the Government's support, Mr Martin said: "Despite the fact that these are more difficult times economically than we have experienced in recent years, the Government's commitment to reconciliation on the island of Ireland remains steadfast."

The Minister stated that there would be no decrease in the availability of funding in 2010 for groups involved in cross-community and cross-border outreach and reconciliation work across the island of Ireland.

"While we have seen extraordinary progress in the situation in Northern Ireland, there is much left to be done. A small number of individuals, intent on chaos and criminality, still wish to pull Northern Ireland back to the days of violence and despair," the Minister said. "The people have stood together and answered this challenge, indicating clearly that there is no going back", the Minister emphasised.

The Minister also said that "sectarianism remains a real challenge to future stability in the north which needs to be confronted by the wider community, it cannot be permitted to continue to blight the progress we have made."