Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 March 2024
59. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the funding committed under the Shared Island Fund to date on each side of the border; the amount of this committed to cultural projects across all communities; the details of the cultural projects supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11067/24]
View answerI was pleased last month to join Government colleagues in announcing further Shared Island Initiative commitments to support projects which will have a major impact across the island. Including the supports announced in February, approximately €500m has been allocated to date under the Shared Island Initiative enabling over 20 major programmes and funding streams. Separately, the Government last month announced also €600m support for improvements to the A5 transport corridor.
My Department administers the Shared Island Civic Society Fund, which promotes practical North South cooperation and engagement across a range of sectors and themes consistent with the objectives and the commitments of the Good Friday Agreement. Two cultural projects, from Axis Ballymun and Irish Heritage Trust in partnership with organisations in Northern Ireland, were among the successful applicants awarded grants in the initial round of this fund last year. I expect to announce further grants, including to some cultural projects, from the latest round of the Civic Society Fund in the coming weeks. Full details of this Fund can be found on my Department's website.
A Shared Island dimension to the Government’s Creative Ireland programme is supporting cultural projects across all communities, North and South. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media administer the bulk of funding for cultural projects made available from the Shared Island Fund through the Creative Ireland Programme and the all-island Arts Capital investment projects. Minister Martin provided details of this funding, of over €8m, to the Dáil earlier this year in her answer to Parliamentary Question 61 on 31 January 2024.
When I established the Shared Island Initiative in 2020, I was clear that it needed to be a whole-of-Government priority. I am pleased to see Departments across Government continuing to drive forward new and innovative Shared Island projects including in the area of culture.
