The Chairman of the International Fund for Ireland, Mr Denis Rooney, met in Dundalk today (Friday, December 1, 2006) with Mr Josep Borrell Fontelles, President of the European Parliament during his visit to Ireland.
Mr Rooney briefed the President about the Fund’s work in bringing together the nationalist and unionist communities in the North and in the border counties at a roundtable meeting on ‘The European Union and the Peace Process’ at Dundalk County Hall. Mr Rooney also presented representatives of cross-border and community groups who have benefited in recent years from over EUR4 million in IFI grants, contributed in large part by the EU. These included in Louth – New Border Generation Carlingford, Ardee Community Development Ltd, Carlingford Community Development, Redeemer Resource Centre/Cox’s Demense; in Cavan – Kingscourt Enterprise Centre, Altanaveigh House in Co Down and also Knowledge Through Enterprise [KEY] which organises business training courses for disadvantaged 14 -16 year olds from schools in Northern Ireland and the border counties.
Speaking about the President’s visit, International Fund for Ireland Chairman, Denis Rooney, said, “I was delighted to have had this opportunity to brief the President on the valuable work of the Fund and especially that currently being done in this cross-border region. A key aim of the Fund is to enable communities to help themselves. The groups which the President met here today are testament to the Fund’s success in this regard, which has been greatly assisted with European Union support.”