Irish Parliament Passes Legislation to Provide US-Ireland Alliance with up to 20 Million Euros for the George J. Mitchell Scholarship Program

The Irish Parliament (Oireachtas) has passed legislation to provide up to 20 million euros to the George J. Mitchell Scholarship program, the flagship project of the US-Ireland Alliance.

The legislation brings into law a commitment made in 2006 by then-Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and Finance Minister Brian Cowen, who is now the Prime Minister (Taoiseach).

Trina Vargo, president of the Alliance and creator of the scholarship program, welcomed the development as evidence of the understanding of many in Ireland, regardless of party affiliation, that the future of the relationship lies in education, culture and business: “The contributions to the debate by many Deputies and Senators in the Oireachtas showed a very forward-looking understanding of, and commitment to, the relationship. The Alliance is honored by the support of the Government and the Parliament and we look forward to working closely with all those who wish to strengthen our ties for future generations.” The legislation provides that the Irish Government will match funds raised by the Alliance up to 20 million euros.

The US-Ireland Alliance will now work to raise matching funds. For more than twenty years, the US Congress has provided more than $450 million to the International Fund for Ireland (IFI), a foreign aid program related to the Troubles in Northern Ireland. As the IFI’s chairman has noted that the Fund will be seeking no further contributions from the United States, the US-Ireland Alliance is in discussions about the possibility of Congress providing matching funds which would further the future of the relationship while also providing Americans with scholarships to study on the island. "Given that the IFI was being funded at between $15 and $20 million a year, and as that funding is no longer required, a finite contribution to the Mitchell Scholarship endowment would reflect the US Government’s recognition of the changing relationship, and still result in a net financial gain for the US," said Ms. Vargo.

The US-Ireland Alliance is a non-profit organization created in 1998 by Ms. Vargo, who had served as Foreign Policy Adviser to Senator Edward M. Kennedy for many years and was closely involved in the Northern Ireland peace process. The Alliance seeks to raise a permanent endowment for the Mitchell Scholarship program which aims to ensure that a new generation of American leaders, whether Irish or not, is connected to Ireland. The program, named in honor of Senator Mitchell’s contributions to the peace process has already sent more than 100 future American leaders to Ireland and has heightened the profile of Irish universities throughout the US.

Minister of State for the Department of Education, Deputy Sean Haughey shepherded the bill through the Dail (the lower house of the Oireachtas) and the Seanad (upper house of the Oireachtas) on behalf of the Fianna Fail-led Government noting, "There is no doubt that the Mitchell scholarship programme will be a key plank in our efforts to develop education links with the United States."

A number of Deputies and Senators spoke in support of the Mitchell Scholarship program and the important work of the US-Ireland Alliance. Brian Hayes, Fine Gael Spokesperson on Education, welcomed the bill saying that it is "right that Ireland should give something back.... For far too long the political engagement between Ireland and the United States has focused on the politics of Northern Ireland and on seeking to resolve the historical problems there. We now have an opportunity to offer a new generation of young United States citizens with an interest in Ireland an opportunity to be welcomed by this country."

Former Minister of Finance and Labour Deputy Ruairi Quinn, a long-time supporter of the Mitchell Scholarship program, applauded the ‘exemplary’ work of the Alliance: "The US-Ireland Alliance and the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund form the platform on which a new relationship is being built. The wording used by the Alliance does not refer to supporting the old sod, rather it refers to a relationship of equality and mutual benefit between Ireland and the United States." Deputy Quinn added, “the arrival of President Barack Obama and the shift in the population base of the United States to the south and west - no longer reflects the "mother mo chroí" relationship we had with America in the past. We must recognise that Irish-Americans have moved out of the ghettos of the past and are now part of mainstream America. They are part of an America that has distant connections with the greenery of Ireland. It was that greenery which encouraged people to visit this country in the past. We must understand the changed cultural and political relationship that now exists between Ireland and the United States. It is a relationship of mutual benefit and this scholarship should be a foundation upon which we can add and build."

In the Seanad, Fine Gael Senator Fidelma Healy Eames strongly supported the program. Having studied in the United States, she related her personal experience of understanding the benefits of such programs. Fianna Fail Senator Cecilia Keaveney recognized that "Mitchell scholars add greatly to the day-to-day activity of classes and offer opportunities for exchanging new ideas and different ways of thinking. In addition to the direct financial benefits, these scholars bring great benefits to our knowledge economy and links with America." Another long-time supporter of the program, Senator David Norris, noted the value-for-euro, pointing out that even with the Irish Government funds, it will still be vastly less than the endowment for the Rhodes Scholarship. Fine Gael Senator Paul Bradford added, "one can no longer expect that Irish-United States relations will continue along the lines which obtained over the past two centuries because of the great competition that now exists for influence, investment and political advantage. As for the so-called 40 million people who declare themselves to be Irish-American of whom one reads, I am sure that when they voted in the presidential election of November 2008, neither Irish-American issues nor the question of which presidential candidate was best for Ireland was at the top of their agenda. Instead, they focused on domestic matters and issues. Many people who wave the Irish-American flag also have links with others such as the Italian, Greek, South American and Hispanic communities. The continent of North America including the United States comprises a highly complex jigsaw with many interwoven links and influence is not as easily obtained or kept today as it may have been 100 years ago. Consequently, we must take every possible advantage and try to strengthen it."

The tenth class of Mitchell Scholars is currently studying at universities on the island of Ireland. Irish President Mary McAleese will present the graduating class with their class rings on 1 June at Farmleigh, the former Guinness family estate now owned by the Irish Government.

Hundreds of US universities and thousands of students are exposed every year to Irish universities because of the publicity about the Mitchell Scholarship program. About 300 Americans apply every year for this competitive scholarship and many who do not win the Mitchell, have decided to study in Ireland as paying students. The US-Ireland Alliance works closely with all of the universities on the island in raising the profile of Irish universities in the United States.

To read the entire debate.

Dail debate:

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=DAL20100218.xml&Node=H9#H9

Seanad debate:

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=SEN20100223.xml&Node=H7#H7