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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 11, inclusive, together.

The Government's shared island initiative is working to harness the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement to enhance co-operation, connection and mutual understanding on our island, engaging with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future. The shared island unit in my Department acts as a driver and co-ordinator of this whole-of-government initiative. On 4 October, as part of the revised national development plan, NDP, the Government announced significant additional funding and an increased level of ambition for collaborative cross-Border public investment. The shared island dimension of the NDP sets out our investment priorities for the decade ahead to work through all-island partnerships and build a more connected, prosperous and sustainable island for all.

Under the plan, total all-island investment through the extended shared island fund, the Project Ireland 2040 funds, the Government's annual funding for North-South co-operation and the PEACE PLUS programme, delivered with the EU, UK and Northern Ireland Executive, is more than €3.5 billion. Under the NDP, the Government has committed to allocate ring-fenced, multi-annual capital resourcing for all-island investment out to 2030, at least at the current level of the shared island fund. The Government is making allocations from the fund to deliver our commitments and objectives on a shared island. Progress so far this year includes funding to deliver phase 2 of the Ulster Canal and commence development work on phase 3, commencement of an all-island strategic rail review, shared island funding to progress the Narrow Water Bridge project to tender stage, and the launch and commencement of the new North-South research programme. The latter will see €40 million allocated from the shared island fund over five years to support the deepening of links between higher education institutions, researchers and research communities. As part of my visit to Belfast on 8 October, I heard from research leaders at Queen's University about the strong interest in, and beneficial all-island impacts we will see from, the programme. The Government will continue to develop investment and co-operation initiatives to enhance our shared island, implementing our objectives as set out in the programme for Government and the NDP.

To support the Government's agenda for deeper co-operation and connection on the island, the shared island unit in my Department has commissioned a comprehensive research programme, working with the Economic and Social Research Institute, the National Economic and Social Council, the Irish Research Council and other partners. Research will be published in the final quarter of this year and in 2022, focused on opportunities to deepen co-operation across a range of economic, social and environmental domains. At the Labour Employer Economic Forum, LEEF, in July, it was agreed to commence a work stream on shared island issues of interest for trade unions and employers within LEEF's remit of economic and employment issues relevant to the labour market.

I initiated the shared island dialogue series to foster inclusive civic dialogue on our shared future that engages all communities on the island. I addressed the first shared island dialogue with young people in November. Dialogues on climate and environment, civil society engagement, equality, economic recovery on the island, and health have been held this year, with participation by Ministers.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

On 1 October, a dialogue was held on the future of education on a shared island, with participation by the Minister for Education, the Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and more than 130 education and civil society stakeholders. The dialogues are bringing together more than 1,000 civic representatives this year in different sectors and across all regions, communities and traditions to discuss how we can better work together for a shared future. Further dialogues will be announced shortly and the series will continue next year.

These dialogues are proving to be positive, practical, forward-looking discussions on the opportunities and challenges we face in striving for a more reconciled future on the island. They are also affirming the breadth of common ground, solidarity and readiness to work together there is in communities across this island, while not shying away from hard questions. Exciting projects are emerging from the dialogues, such as a newly established all-island women's forum, bringing together women leaders from across the island to address under-representation and further develop women's role in peacebuilding and civic society.

The Government will continue to prioritise and resource our shared island agenda for ambitious, practical co-operation, investment and civic engagement, focused on common concerns for the people of this island and building a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.

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