The Minister for Foreign Affairs has announced an eight-fold increase from £250,000 to £2 million in the Department of Foreign Affairs Reconciliation Fund for 1999.
The fund is used to support reconciliation bodies operating in the Republic and Northern Ireland.
Mr Andrews said the increase fulfilled the Government's pledge in the Belfast Agreement to "positively examine the case for enhanced financial assistance for the work of reconciliation".
Since the Reconciliation Fund was established in 1982 it has assisted over 40 voluntary organisations.
READ MORE
Applications for assistance from the fund can be made through the Anglo-Irish Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs, 80 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2.