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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 12, inclusive, together.

On 22 October, I set out the Government's vision and priorities on shared island in an online event at Dublin Castle. In budget 2021, the Government announced the shared island fund, with €500 million being made available out to 2025, ring-fenced for shared island projects. This provides significant new capital funding for strategic investment in collaborative North-South projects that will support the commitments and objectives of the Good Friday Agreement.

The Government is working with the Northern Ireland Executive and the British Government to progress existing and new cross-Border investment projects. Our priorities for such investment are set out in the programme for Government. Progressing cross-Border investment projects was a key focus of our discussions at the North-South Ministerial Council plenary on 18 December, and in December more than €6 million in funding from the shared island fund was approved by the Government to launch the delivery of phase 2 of the Ulster Canal.

As part of the shared island initiative, the unit is progressing a comprehensive research programme, working with the National Economic and Social Council, the Economic and Social Research Institute, and the Irish Research Council, with research outputs being published through 2021 and in subsequent years. Strengthening social, economic and political links on the island and the promotion of all-island approaches to the strategic challenges facing Ireland, North and South, are key objectives of this work. As I have said previously, our shared island initiative does not preordain any constitutional outcome under the Good Friday Agreement. Our work takes place in that context.

I launched the shared island dialogue series to foster constructive and inclusive civic dialogue on a shared future on the island, founded on the Good Friday Agreement. To date, three dialogues have been held. I addressed a dialogue with young people on 26 November on the theme of New Generations and New Voices on the Good Friday Agreement, on 5 February, the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications participated in a dialogue on climate and environment on the island, and on 25 March, a dialogue on civil society engagement on the island was held, with participation by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The dialogue series will continue through this year, including with a focus on equality, economy, health and education issues for the island. We are ensuring new and under-represented voices, including of women, young people and ethnic minorities, are represented in these civic discussions on our shared future on the island.

Building a shared island will require co-operation at all levels, and I warmly welcome the increased focus and ambition for cross-Border co-operation at local authority and regional levels, including through the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor launched on 24 March, the framework of regional priorities of the Irish Central Border Area Network, also launched on 24 March, and the North West Regional Development Group's recently agreed statement of updated regional priorities. I and a number of Ministers have engaged directly with these important cross-Border initiatives in recent weeks to affirm the Government's support for their work and readiness to collaborate with them, taking account of their regional development strategies and our commitments and objectives on a shared island as set out in the programme for Government. The shared island unit in my Department is actively engaging with local authorities and the cross-Border local authority forums in follow-up.

Ar deireadh, bhí plé tairbheach ag aonad um oileán comhroinnte mo Roinne le hionadaithe Gaeilge maidir leis an tionscnamh oileán comhroinnte, agus tá cuireadh tugtha dóibh a bheith páirteach sa tsraith idirphlé maidir le hoileán comhroinnte. Tá an t-aonad ag súil le leanúint leis an bplé seo i gcomhar leis na Ranna líne iomchuí a bhfuil freagracht orthu i leith na Gaeilge.

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