Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is funny the Tánaiste should mention applications. We are already working on one in Ballymun with some groups in east Belfast. We hope to be able to bring together young people from both perspectives and to avail of funding. I ask the Tánaiste to look favourably on that application. I am sure many other Deputies will ask him to do the same. The communities of east Belfast and Ballymun are similar in many ways. They face similar economic challenges, and the young people from both have many issues in common. The theme that is going to be proposed is the idea of how we might tackle climate change, which is a matter on which both groups can agree. I see potential in the context of so many areas. We could have sports clubs from both sides engaging with each other. When it comes to access to arts centres, we are going to take the lead on it. We hope that the idea of culture can be explored in the context of what it means. I refer to how traditional culture is defined in one way and the fact that young people might have more in common in the context of rap music or other forms of culture that are more relevant to their generation.

I thank the Tánaiste for launching the programme. I look forward to his favourable consideration of the application.

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