Public Consultation on development of new Reconciliation Fund Strategy

Interested stakeholders are encouraged to submit their views on the development of a new Reconciliation Fund strategy. This will help inform how the Irish Government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, can deepen and expand its efforts supporting peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and across these islands through the Reconciliation Fund.

The Government has opened this consultation to ensure that development of the new strategy is guided by the people most directly impacted. It is crucial that the strategy’s development is informed by all relevant stakeholders as part of the process.

This document presents guiding questions for consideration. Written submissions can be sent to RecFundStrategy@dfa.ie. The consultation will launch on 04 July 2025 and the deadline for receipt of written submissions is 01 August 2025.

Guiding questions

The guiding questions for consideration are designed to elicit a broad response and we do not wish to prescribe submissions. Please feel free to give as detailed or as streamlined a response as necessary.

1. What have you found works well in the current Reconciliation Fund strategy?
2. What aspects, if any, of the Reconciliation Fund Strategy have you found are most relevant to your work?
3. Are there issues that are not captured in the current Reconciliation Fund Strategy?
4. What aspects, if any, of the Reconciliation Fund Strategy do you feel are not relevant, or out of date in today’s society? How has the peace and reconciliation landscape changed?
5. What can funders do to reflect your organisation’s strategic planning for the future? (i.e. recruitment, succession planning, new community leadership, programme/core costs etc.)
6. What are the issues facing civic society organisations working to promote peace and reconciliation?
7. What is the biggest challenge facing your organisation today?
8. What does reconciliation mean to you and how can the Government of Ireland support it?

In-person consultation events

In-person consultation events will also take place, details to follow.

Ireland’s new Reconciliation Fund strategy, due to be published later this year, will refashion and renew the Fund’s vision and approach, guiding support for reconciliation within Northern Ireland and across these islands. A core aim of the new policy is to respond to the changing needs in the peace and reconciliation sector, as well as to reinforce the successful partnerships which have been forged in the past, since the Fund’s establishment in 1982.

Read the current Reconciliation Fund Strategy 2021-2024.

The Reconciliation Fund was established in 1982 to support civil society organisations in creating a better understanding between people and traditions on the island of Ireland, and between Ireland and Britain.

The Reconciliation Fund, with its focus on Northern Ireland, plays an important role in supporting the Government’s approach to working with all communities and political traditions, to take up the significant opportunities of deeper co-operation and connection on the island.

The majority of grants are awarded to groups working within Northern Ireland. The Reconciliation Fund awards grants to organisations working to build better relations within and between traditions in Northern Ireland, between North and South, and between Ireland and Britain.

Read more about the Reconciliation Fund.

We would like to draw your attention to our Data Privacy Notice that explains how and when we collect personal data, why we do so and how we treat this information. It also explains your rights in relation to the collection of personal information and how you can exercise those rights. Information submitted will be retained for the duration of the Reconciliation Fund strategy development process and then will be deleted. Anonymised excerpts from individual submissions may be included in internal and published reports. While the Department will carefully consider all comments and suggestions received, it does not intend to respond to individual submissions.

Please note that all responses to this consultation received are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 (FOI), the European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007-2014, and the Data Protection Act 2018.