Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6 together. Through the Government's shared island initiative, we are engaging with all communities to build consensus around a shared future and delivering benefits for the whole island. The Government has so far allocated almost €250 million from the shared island fund, moving forward with our commitments and objectives in this area in the programme for Government and the national development plan. In June, we provided €56 million from the fund for new all-island projects. This included a major allocation of up to €44.5 million for the construction of a new teaching building at Ulster University’s campus in Derry to expand higher education provision in the north-west region.

The shared island fund is about bringing people together from all parts of the island. Culture and the arts are among the ways we can do that. I was pleased last week to announce with the Tánaiste and with the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, €7.4 million from the shared island fund for five new all-island arts capital investment projects. The shared island research programme continues, with the most recent report by the ESRI published on 18 September analysing the factors that drive or deter student mobility across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

The report was launched by the Minister, Deputy Harris, who affirmed the Government's commitment to work with partners, including in third level institutions, to make it as easy as possible for students to study in either jurisdiction on the island.

I am particularly pleased that, on 8 September, a new shared island youth forum met for the first time in Dublin Castle. The forum brings together 80 young civic representatives from a diverse range of backgrounds, both North and South. They are meeting over the course of the next year to develop a statement of their vision and values for a shared future on the island.

Through the youth forum and the continuing shared island dialogue series, we will continue to foster inclusive civic interaction on how we can share the island of Ireland into the future.

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