§ Lord Kilclooneyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress has been made by the Irish Government to demonstrate the respect for the different traditions in the island of Ireland; how the status of the Orange Institution and the Ulster Scots Language has been enhanced in the Republic of Ireland since the Belfast Agreement: and whether they have made representations to the Irish Government to implement this section of the Belfast Agreement. [HL6343]
§ Lord Williams of Mostyn:The Irish Government's commitment to demonstrate their respect for the different traditions in the island of Ireland is an important aspect of the Good Friday Agreement and the Irish Government continue to work actively to fulfil it.
175WAIn support of their efforts in this area, in April 1999 the Irish Government increased the funding available to groups working to achieve peace and mutual understanding between the different traditions on the island of Ireland to IR£2 million per annum (an eight-fold increase). The moneys are disbursed through the Reconciliation Fund, operated by the Department of Foreign Affairs. This increase enabled the Irish Government to provide grants worth IR£4 million to 137 organisations involved in a wide range of cross-community, educational, research and outreach activities in 1999 and 2000.
An inter-departmental committee was established on 9 January 1998 with responsibility for development of the Battle of the Boyne site. The committee is making good progress on this historic project which has unique symbolic significance for the Unionist tradition in Ireland. Indeed, the Independent Loyal Orange Institution launched its centenary celebrations at the Boyne site on 29 June 2002. Many individuals and groups have visited the site, which has been opened, on a limited scale initially, to visitors.
With regard to the Ulster Scots language, an Ulster-Scots Agency is one of the two constituent agencies which comprise the North/South Language Body, the other being the Irish Language Agency, Foras na Gaeilge. As part of the language body, the Ulster-Scots Agency reports to the North/South Ministerial Council, which meets in the Language Sector to take decisions on policies and actions to be taken by the body. The agency's budget for 2002 is 2.4 million euro, of which the Irish Government contribute 600,000 euro, just less than 25 per cent.