Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021
135. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach the details of the work of the shared island unit with the Economic Social Research Institute; if the shared island unit has commissioned research to be undertaken by the ESRI; and if he will provide a copy of the terms of reference of this research and for the publication schedule of same. [18803/21]
View answerAs part of the Shared Island initiative, the Shared Island unit in my Department is progressing a comprehensive research programme, working with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) and the Irish Research Council (IRC).
Strengthening social, economic and political links on the island and the promotion of all-island approaches to the strategic challenges facing Ireland, North and South are key objectives, and North/South and East/West collaboration is a feature of the research work.
The research programme with the ESRI is on ‘the Economic and Social Opportunities from Increased Cooperation on the Shared Island’. The purpose of the programme is to produce research outputs which will add to understanding of current and potential linkages across the island of Ireland in a range of economic, social and environmental domains. Research outputs will be published in 2021 and subsequent years.
2021 work under the programme is focusing on aspects of health, education, enterprise and the all-island economy.
Scoping papers including terms of reference for each of the ESRI research topics for 2021 will be published in the coming weeks and made available at gov.ie/sharedisland/research.
