US fund donates €8m to Irish organisations

Eight million euro has been donated by the American Ireland Fund to over 300 charities and community organisations throughout the country.

The donations will be used to support a variety of initiatives with a particular focus on programmes that address peace and reconciliation and mental health and suicide.

Initiatives that will receive the support of the AIF include: Cork Counselling Centre, Cork - a pilot project tackling the rising trend of suicide among young people; Console, Dublin - production of educational video/DVD dealing with youth suicide prevention; Dundalk Counselling Centre, Louth - therapeutic counselling and school outreach sessions to address depression issues; Educate Together, Dublin - training for “Learn Together Curriculum” initiative to promote understanding and co-operation across religious and racial divides ; GOAL, Dublin - rehabilitation programmes including primary healthcare and repair of homes; Ardoyne Youth Club, Belfast - continuation and further development of arts programme and the Conflict Trauma Resource Centre, Belfast.