Ruairí Ó Murchú
Question:5. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will consider expanding the Shared Island Unit to include conversations on the future of this island. [39235/22]
View answerTuesday, 26 July 2022
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Written answers
Through the Shared Island initiative, the Government is engaging with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future; and to deliver tangible benefits for the whole island, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.
The Shared Island Dialogues are a key part of this approach. The Dialogue series has so far brought together more than 1,700 citizens and civic leaders - from across all communities, traditions and regions - to discuss how we work for a shared future on this island, in practical, meaningful ways.
Eleven Shared Island Dialogues have been convened to date with participation at Government level, with events held in 2022 on Tourism, Sport, and Rural and Community Development.
I delivered an online opening address for the most recent Dialogue which took place in Derry on 28 June with over 150 young people participating in person and online on the theme of ‘Identities on a Shared Island’. The Dialogue considered how we can better acknowledge and accommodate diverse community, cultural and personal identities on the island in the years ahead.
The Dialogues are also leading to civil society-led engagement, including the All-Island Women’s Forum, and the ‘i-Community Shared Practice hub’ being rolled out by The Wheel and the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action.
The Dialogue series will continue through this year - on an in-person and regional basis - and addressing both sectoral issues and wider societal concerns for the whole island.
The next Dialogue will be in September on Arts and Culture on the island with participation by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.