Jim O'Callaghan
Question:125. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Taoiseach for an overview of the Shared Ireland Programme since its establishment in 2020; the key initiatives taken; and his assessment of their impact to date. [31854/23]
View answerTuesday, 4 July 2023
Questions (125)
Written answers
As provided for in the Programme for Government, we are progressing the Shared Island initiative, to benefit the whole island by working with all communities and traditions for a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.
The Government has so far allocated almost €250m from the Shared Island Fund for all-island projects. With this resourcing we are moving ahead with long-standing commitments and new investments that meet the objectives under the revised National Development Plan to create a more connected, sustainable, and prosperous island for all communities.
On 20 June the Government announced that a further €56m had been allocated from the Shared Island Fund, to move forward with a range of substantial cross-border investments. The major project is the commitment of €44.5m for construction of a new teaching building at Ulster University’s campus in Derry. Allocations were also agreed by Government in June for new all-island projects on the bioeconomy, to support respite care for children diagnosed with cancer, and to complete the tender for the Narrow Water Bridge.
We continue to progress the Shared Island Dialogue series which has to date engaged almost 3,000 citizens on how in practical ways we can better share the island into the future. Most recently, a dialogue was held on 16 June at Dublin City University on the role of education in connecting communities across the island of Ireland. 150 education, civil society and political representatives from North and South participated in the event.
On 20 June Government also announced the establishment of a new Youth Forum as part of the Shared Island initiative. This will commence in September and hear from young people across all communities on their vision and values for the future of this island.
Regarding the research programme, the Shared Island unit continues to provide high-quality evidence and analysis on the opportunities and challenges around deepening cooperation and connections on the island, working with research partners including the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), the ESRI, the Standing Conference on Teacher Education, North and South (SCoTENS), and the Irish Research Council.
The ESRI have published 8 reports to date under the Shared Island Research Programme including: Cross-Border Trade in Services (December 2021); Enhancing attractiveness of the island of Ireland to FDI (December 2021); Analysis of primary health care systems of Ireland and Northern Ireland (March 2022); North South comparison of Education and training systems and outcomes (April 2022); Modelling Productivity Levels in Ireland and Northern Ireland (November 2022); Benefit of all-island coordination of energy infrastructure and renewable energy (December 2022); Children’s care and early education in Ireland North and South (January 2023); Migrant Integration in Ireland, North and South (March 2023).
2023 ESRI work on Shared Island topics is underway, to be published later in the year on: Student Mobility in Ireland and Northern Ireland; Changing Social Attitudes? An analysis of Ireland North and South; Gender and Labour Market Inclusion on the Island of Ireland and Contrasting Housing Supply in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Further details on the Shared Island research programme and all elements related to the implementation of the Shared Island initiative is available at www.gov.ie/sharedisland .