McEntee announces 10 million euro for Northern Irish peacebuilding projects

The Minister for Foreign Affairs has announced 10 million euro will go towards 154 peacebuilding projects across Northern Ireland.

Seven million euro from the Department’s Reconciliation Fund will go to 30 strategic partners over three years, while the rest will fund 124 one-year projects that will begin this year.

On Thursday, Helen McEntee met with groups supported by the fund at Iveagh House in Dublin.

She said during recent disorder in Belfast civil society organisations played a “vital role” during “very challenging times”.

“Some of the groups that I met today were on the ground working directly to reduce tensions, keeping young people from harm and supporting migrant families who had been displaced due to the unrest.”

She said their work “often happens quietly, but its impact is lasting”.

She added that the funding is “an investment in those organisations and in the people who work every day to build trust, strengthen relationships and create a more peaceful and shared future across Northern Ireland”.

Among the groups are 11 who combat domestic, sexual and gender based violence with a particular focus on projects that address the gendered impact of paramilitary violence, and promote women’s leadership in peacebuilding and civic life.

Those awarded grants include the Integrated Education Fund, which will receive 474,000 over three years to build awareness of Integrated Education and to support schools that decide to become integrated.

While 12-month projects include Wave Trauma Centre, a grant of 90,000 euro was approved to provide peer group, advocacy, family and volunteer support to victims and survivors in Northern Ireland.