Building Trust and Goodwill in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties: The Impact of Economic Aid on the Peace Process

Abstract

This article examines attitudes to the impacts of the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) and the European Union Peace II Fund on building trust and goodwill in Northern Ireland. It draws on interviews of 98 study participants conducted during the summer of 2006, and a public opinion survey of 1,023 adults conducted in October 2006. The perceptions of community group leaders, funding agency civil servants and development officers are explored. The experiences of the study participants with the EU Peace II Fund and the IFI are discussed in the wider context of development, peacebuilding and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and in the Border Counties of the Republic of Ireland.