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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, together.

On 22 October last, I set out the Government's vision and priorities on a shared island at an online event at Dublin Castle. Our approach is founded on the Good Friday Agreement and engaging with all communities and traditions to build consensus on a shared future on the island of Ireland. I established the shared island unit in my Department to act as a driver and co-ordinator for this work. Operationally, the unit is focusing its work in three areas: commissioning research, fostering dialogue and building a shared island agenda, including delivery of the commitments in the programme for Government.

The shared island unit is progressing a comprehensive research programme, working with the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, and the Irish Research Council. The research programme with the ESRI is on the economic and social opportunities from increased co-operation on the shared island. Research outputs will be published. The 2021 work is examining aspects of health, education, enterprise and the services economy on the island. Scoping papers on each of the ESRI research topics were published on Monday, 17 May 2021, and are available at gov.ie. As set out in the scoping paper, ESRI work on education this year is examining patterns of educational participation and attainment on the island, looking at how education and training systems, including at third level, shape these outcomes and assessing what lessons can be learned.

More broadly, the Government is committed to working to enhance all aspects of North-South co-operation on the island, including in third level education, and to supporting a North-South programme of research and innovation, including an all-island research hub. In budget 2021, the Government announced a shared island fund, with €500 million being made available through to 2025 and ring-fenced for shared island projects. 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.

On 28 April last, I and the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, launched phase 2 of the Ulster Canal restoration project, enabled by an allocation of €6 million from the shared island fund and €5.6 million from the rural regeneration development fund. The shared island fund has also provided a further €1 million for phase 3 of the project to undertake feasibility and pre-construction work, which has now begun. The Ulster Canal is an excellent example of what North-South co-operation can achieve, as an amenity that connects towns and communities in the central Border region and a sustainable tourism initiative that will create jobs and be a linchpin for other economic opportunities on both sides of the Border.

I launched a shared island dialogue series to foster constructive and inclusive civic dialogue on our shared future on the island founded on the Good Friday Agreement. I addressed a dialogue with young people on 26 November last on the theme of new generations and new voices on the Good Friday Agreement. Dialogues on climate and environment, civil society engagement and equality on the island have also been held in recent months, with participation by the relevant Government Ministers. The dialogue series will continue through this year, including with a focus on the economy, health and education on the island. The dialogues are engaging with hundreds of civic representatives in the different sectors across all regions, communities and traditions on how we can work together to build a shared future on the island. Reports on the dialogues are available at gov.ie.

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