Neale Richmond
Question:21. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the shared island unit of his Department. [43737/21]
View answerWednesday, 29 September 2021
Questions (21)
Written answers
The Government’s Shared Island initiative is working to harness the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement to enhance cooperation, connection and mutual understanding on the island, engaging with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future.
I established a Shared Island unit in my Department to act as a driver and coordinator of this whole of Government initiative.
In Budget 2021, the Government established the Shared Island Fund, committing €500m in capital funding out to 2025, ring-fenced for investment in North/South projects.
The Government has made a number of allocations from the Fund over the last year, to support delivery of our commitments and objectives on a Shared Island, set out in the Programme for Government. Progress includes:
- The launch in April of Phase 2 of the Ulster Canal restoration and commencement of development work on Phase 3, enabled by an allocation of €7 million from the Shared Island Fund and €5.8 million from the Rural Regeneration Development Fund;
- The launch in April of the all-island strategic rail review jointly by the Minister for Transport and the Northern Ireland Minister for Infrastructure;
- In June, I was joined by the Northern Ireland Minister for Infrastructure, Nichola Mallon, as I announced €3m in funding from the Shared Island Fund to progress the Narrow Water Bridge to tender stage; and,
- In July, I and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science announced the new North-South Research programme, with Government investing €40 million from the Shared Island Fund over five years, to support the deepening of links between higher education institutions, researchers and research communities on the island.
The Government will continue to develop investment, policy and cooperation initiatives that enhance our shared island. The reviewed National Development Plan, to be published shortly, will set out a new level of ambition for collaborative cross-border investment out to 2030 with the goal of building a more connected, sustainable, and prosperous shared island for all.
To support the Government’s agenda for cooperation and connection on the island, the Shared Island unit in my Department has commissioned a comprehensive research programme, working with the ESRI, the National Economic and Social Council, the Irish Research Council and other partners. Research will be published in the final quarter of this year and through 2022, focused on opportunities to deepen cooperation across a range of economic, social and environmental domains.
In July, at the Labour Employer Economic Forum it was agreed to commence a workstream on Shared Island issues of interest for trade unions and employers within LEEFs remit of economic and employment issues relevant to the labour market.
Finally, I initiated the Shared Island Dialogue series to foster inclusive civic dialogue, that engages all communities on the island, on our shared future.
I addressed the first Shared Island Dialogue with young people in November. Dialogues on Climate and Environment; Civil Society engagement; Equality; Economic recovery on the island; and Health have been held this year, with participation by Government Ministers.
The next Dialogue is on the future of Education on the island, taking place on 1 October with Ministerial participation and over 100 education stakeholders from North and South.
The Dialogues are bringing together more than 1,000 civic representatives this year in different sectors and across all regions, communities and traditions, to discuss how we work together for a shared future on this island, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.
Questions Nos. 22 to 24, inclusive, resubmitted.