With U.S. funding for the International Fund for Ireland seemingly ending as a result of recent "rescission" spending cuts a bipartisan group of House of Representative members have written to both President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging a retention of U.S. support for the IFI.
The letter is signed at the top by Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick and Congressman Brendan Boyle.
There are thirteen signatories in all, Democrat and Republican and all members of the Friends of Ireland caucus.
The letter states: "As strong supporters of the promotion and maintenance of peace on the island of Ireland, we write to you to request that the Administration not rescind any foreign assistance funds
authorized by Congress to fulfill the United States’ contributions to the International Fund for
Ireland (IFI).
"Since its establishment under the Anglo-Irish Agreement Support Act of 1986 – the result of a bipartisan initiative of President Ronald Reagan and Speaker Tip O’Neill – the IFI has been the vehicle for Congressional support for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
"Through political negotiations, diplomacy, and grass-roots peace-building efforts, the United States has shown a strong commitment to preserving and advancing peace in the region.
"Our engagement is important because the cornerstone of change – the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement – is an ongoing process to bring about an end to decades of armed conflict as well as to enable future reconciliation. It laid out a series of steps to allow all sides to de-escalate and demilitarize established institutions that create space for communities to pursue non-violent political change.
"Following on from the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement just a few years ago, support to the IFI demonstrates the United States’ firm commitment to maintaining and building upon the progress achieved over the past three decades.
"The IFI’s status as an independent organization and reputation for neutrality, as well as its long-established links with communities on the ground, mean that it enjoys a unique position of trust that is not shared by statutory bodies. Their collaborative oversight and financing are important to allow communities in both Ireland and the U.K. to thrive and maintain peace.
"The nature of the crucial and difficult peace-building work supported through IFI is just beginning to deliver on the serious long-term impacts that it set out to achieve. This includes community confidence to remove or replace peace barriers, and the disbanding of branches of paramilitary organizations. The next ten years are critical to this progress and the objective of sustainable peace and integrated communities.
"The United States has made an enormous investment in peace in Northern Ireland, not only financially but politically and in many cases personally. A KPMG report found that over the lifetime of the IFI, it has been able to leverage funding at an average ratio of 2:1. In short, continuing support for the IFI is a reasonable, small investment that pays major dividends for the people living on the island of Ireland as well as the United States.
"To that end, it is essential that the Administration not rescind the amounts authorized by Congress for the International Fund for Ireland (IFI). The Fund is committed to a difficult but essential scope of work that other funders or government bodies simply cannot undertake.
"As we approach the 40th Anniversary of the IFI and the 250th Anniversary of America’s independence in 2026, it is essential that the U.S. celebrate our leadership in Northern Ireland & Ireland and vital
that the IFI continues its work effectively addressing the most difficult challenges to a sustainable peace."
