64 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Defence if any part of the grant-in-aid paid to the Irish Red Cross has been used to fund the ongoing legal action being taken against a company (details supplied) or if any part of it will be used for the continuing action against the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47265/10]

The Irish Red Cross Society is an independent statute based charitable organisation with full power to manage its own affairs. The annual grant in aid paid to the Society (currently €951,000) includes the Government's annual contribution (€130,000) to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The balance of the grant in aid is used towards the administration and running costs of the Irish office. In 2009 the grant in aid paid to the Irish Red Cross from the Defence Vote represented approximately 13% of the Society's total income. The Minister for Defence does not get involved in the day-to-day running of its affairs. There is an obligation on Governments to protect the independence of National Red Cross Organisations.