The Orange Order has issued the following statement in response
to the announcement that the Republic of Ireland's Government
is to make a grant of 250,000Euros to the Order in the border
counties of Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan.
"The Orange Institution has been lobbying the Government
of the Republic of Ireland for three years about a number
of issues. One of these was the lack of funding for Orange
Halls.
"We now welcome the fact that the Government of the
Republic of Ireland are beginning to address the issue and
we welcome the funding which will go towards the employment
of a development officer.
"A problem had arisen over the past four or five years
when attempts by Orange lodges to access funding to renovate
their halls seemed to be going nowhere.
"We now see the granting of the present funding as a
recognition that a real problem did exist and we believe this
is a genuine attempt by the Government of the Republic of
Ireland to address the issue.
"Our members in the Republic of Ireland stand ready
to play a fuller part in civic society than heretofore.
"The recognition which this funding brings with it goes
some way towards providing reassurance in the Republic of
Ireland that all the children of the nation will now be treated
equally."
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