Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has announced an overall island strategy in regard to the development of the railway network, particularly high speed rail. That realm of public transport lends itself to an all-island approach, which would be to the benefit of all, not only from a climate change perspective but also from an economic and mobility perspective and the perspective of the integration of people throughout the island. All types of links would flow from that approach. As a Government, we are committed to that. The feasibility work needs to get under way. We want to do that work expeditiously so that this gets real follow-through.

In terms of the marine protected areas, there is potential for an east-west and North-South approach to this issue that will be very important. The Deputy will be aware that in the Republic we are developing the marine planning Bill because we want to create a single mechanism planning framework that will facilitate, for example, developments of offshore wind. The next decade in offshore wind will be very significant. I also see the potential of collaboration. I mentioned to the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce last week during my engagement with it that we are committed to the offshore wind agenda for the next number of years. It would make sense, therefore, that there would be a North-South approach to that as well from a private sector investment perspective and a public sector underpinning of it.

In those areas, and perhaps also in marine research, we are going to facilitate North-South research, as I have said. We would fund it from the shared island fund. We will work with both the Executive and the British Government in that respect if they can add to that value to it. The British Government may want to do so. I know the Prime Minister supports the shared island idea. We could very well get some east-west, North-South dimensions to those areas that have been mentioned, particularly the marine protected areas and the wider climate issue.