| Euro funding unlikely to reach Irish
groups  By
Cornelia Lucey
IRISH groups in London could soon find themselves entitled to a share of
a pot of gold worth a staggering £120million but only if they are
recognised as an ethnic group.
The London European Development Fund will be paid out over seven years until
2013 to developing communities within the city and the Mayor of London
Ken Livingstone has developed a programme by which to divide the money.
Groups and communities are now being asked to make their needs heard if they
wish to share in the funding and submissons from ethnic minorities including
Irish groups are particularly welcomed.
Tony Medawar, director of strategy and policy at the London Development Agency
who is organising the consultation process, said: “This is the last
time London is likely to receive European funding and we want the money
to reach all the ethnic groups that deserve it but to do so we need them
to let us know what they want.”
Last week as part of the consultation process the Minority Network and the
London Development Agency organised a stakeholder event to promote knowledge
of the funding.
And The Irish Post were the only group there representing the Irish Community.
But the director of the Federation of Irish Societies Eithne Rynne fears
the Irish community may be let down by the LDA.
She said: “We made a submission before for European funding but we
were turned down.
“It was clear that the whole reason we were turned down was because
we were a white ethnic group.
“We are putting a submission in this time to make them aware of
the needs of the Irish community but we’re still very much aware
that the Irish are being excluded from the consultations being made at
the moment.
“It will be interesting to see what happens.”
Director of the London Irish Centre Peter Hammond said: “I have only
just found out about the consultations.
“I think with such a huge amount of money there’s no reason
why Irish groups couldn’t benefit. We’ve got some projects that
could definitely do with some of that money.
“I’m going to find out about making a submission now.”
But director of the London Irish Women’s Institute Tisch Collins said:
“We won’t be making a submission to the LDA because it’s
too complicated.
“Money from such funds seldom falls on groups such as ours.”
The Development Fund attempts to address imbalances and disparities in the
London economy by creating economic opportunities in areas of industrial
decline, urban deprivation, low economic activity and social exclusion.
A copy of the questionnaire and the draft London ERDF Operational Programme
can be downloaded from www. lda.gov.uk or a copy can be requested by contacting
the LDA on 020 7593 9000.
The deadline for submissions to the fund is March 21 2007.
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