Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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1. To ask the Taoiseach the extent of any recent discussions with the various political parties in Northern Ireland in the context of the shared island initiative. [9878/23]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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2. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the shared island dialogue all-island women's forum civic initiative. [10770/23]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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3. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide a report on any recent discussions with political parties in Northern Ireland in regard to the shared island initiative. [11296/23]

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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4. To ask the Taoiseach the extent of any recent discussions with the various political parties in Northern Ireland in the context of the shared island initiative. [10956/23]

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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5. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the shared island initiative. [11010/23]

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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6. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of the shared island initiative. [11397/23]

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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7. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide a report on any recent discussions with political parties in Northern Ireland in regard to the shared island initiative. [11611/23]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 1 go 7, go huile, le chéile.

As provided for in the programme for Government, we are taking forward our shared island investment objectives and working with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.

In my discussions to date with political party leaders in Northern Ireland, I have set out the Government's continued implementation of our shared island initiative. I have also made clear that the Government is ready to undertake significantly more all-island investment co-operation with a new executive, should it be established, and with the British Government, as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement.

So far this year, Ministers have commenced new shared island programmes for civil society, electric vehicle charging and community climate action on an all-island basis. We want to do more this year, including on education, higher education, healthcare, enterprise and innovation, and climate action.

All Departments continue to develop potential shared island projects for consideration by Government, in consultation with counterparts in Northern Ireland, a wide range of stakeholders on the island and the British Government, as appropriate.

Inclusive dialogue with all communities on common concerns for the future is also continuing. The first event in a refreshed shared island dialogue programme will be held next month, looking at how media represents the whole island and different communities and perspectives, both North and South.

On Monday, 6 March, the latest report under the shared island research programme was published by the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, on migrant integration in Ireland and Northern Ireland, at an event attended by over 150 people. It showed differences as to how migrants are accepted in Northern Ireland versus here in the Republic.

The all-island women's forum is a very welcome contribution to the shared island initiative, convened by the national women’s council and in receipt of funding via the Reconciliation Fund of the Department of Foreign Affairs. The forum provides an important space for civic dialogue led by women, contributing to wider public debate and helping to shape the all-island agenda.

Finally, it is critical that we get the Northern Ireland Executive and North-South institutions in place again as soon as possible. The Government is working intensively to do exactly that.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Taoiseach for his comprehensive reply. In pursuit of the objectives of the shared island initiative, I would ask that the situation might be utilised to promote the benefits to the people in Northern Ireland and all sectors there and to promote the benefits of the shared island initiative to the people in the South because there is a great possibility of a gain for everybody, both North and South, for all the interests in Northern Ireland, and for the interests of the joint approach in terms of trade, inter-trade, and trade in the European Union and in the wider Continent of Europe.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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On what is International Women's Day, I will take the opportunity to acknowledge the important work of the all-island women's forum and the women from across Ireland's diverse communities who have participated so generously in that work. We support the forum's ambition to be a catalyst for change in seeking substantial reform that will enable women to take our rightful place as leaders in our society. As legislators and leaders in our communities, we have the responsibility not only to work with the forum and other organisations committed to gender equality and inclusion, but to deliver on the reforms already committed to and, by so doing, create pathways for all women to be their own agents of change.

There is much left to be delivered on within the forum's family-friendly and inclusive Parliament report. I commend the Ceann Comhairle on his work in pushing out the report's recommendations. Full delivery will make a powerful difference to all women working in this institution and to those outside who are considering a future role in the public service.

I wish to raise the delay in publishing legislation to provide maternity leave for Members of the Oireachtas. This provision was to be in included in the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, but the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, has instead decided to introduce stand-alone legislation. Will the Taoiseach confirm when that legislation's draft heads will be introduced?

I welcome the Government's decision to hold a referendum this year on gender equality. The invaluable contribution of the citizens' assembly and our colleagues on the Joint Committee on Gender Equality to this outcome must be fully acknowledged. Guím Lá Idirnáisiúnta na mBan faoi mhaise daoibh go léir.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Taoiseach for his detailed and positive response to my question. As he is well aware, substantial public funding has been committed to an all-island investment from 2021 to 2030 through the shared island initiative, PEACE PLUS and Project Ireland 2040. I know from engagement at the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement that there is a warm welcome from both political traditions on this island for the shared island initiative and the other funding streams. That welcome is shared by members of the British Parliament, given the benefits it will bring on an all-Ireland basis.

Recently, the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement received a presentation from the All-Island Cancer Research Institute, AICRI. It was heartening to listen to its representatives outlining how important shared island funding had been for them. Universities and hospitals on this island, North and South, are working together and with counterparts in Britain and America. Fabulous work and research is being done to try to cope with the terrible disease of cancer and the frightening prospect of how much more it will impact on the population.

The Taoiseach mentioned how education, including higher education, would be a beneficiary of the shared island initiative. I would like emphasis to be placed on further education. There is scope to have our colleges of further education, North and South, working together, identifying courses that can be delivered in Enniskillen for students from the South and in Cavan and Monaghan for our neighbours in Northern Ireland. There could be a much greater sharing of resources in further and higher education. Recently, I had the opportunity to meet the provost and her senior personnel at the University of Ulster. They were excited about the possibilities of more co-operation with their counterparts in this State through shared island funding.

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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I wish to ask about the Taoiseach's engagements with the shared island initiative and the discussions he has had with political parties in the North and Westminster regarding the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill. It has been described, and condemned, by Amnesty International as protecting perpetrators from prosecution and denying victims justice. It redefines torture and allows sexual assault to go unprosecuted.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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Hundreds of Northern Ireland Housing Executive workers have been out on a pay strike for more than seven months. These are essential workers who continued to serve the public during Covid. Workers have joined with tenants to share their concerns about the shocking intransigence and inaction by the Housing Executive and the Northern Ireland Department for Communities. Workers and tenants have been incredulous about how it seems that no one is in charge and no one is answerable to housing workers or tenants. All the while, the job list keeps growing – broken windows, mould and damp, disability adaptations and getting empty houses ready for families who badly need them. In the absence of decision makers in the Housing Executive or the Department, the workers have written to the Northern Ireland Secretary of State and plan to travel to his constituency, if necessary, to ensure that he gets the message that he must intervene.

Despite the duration of the strike, the workers are buoyed up by public support, and especially by the rejection by their sister union, the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance, NIPSA, of the same disrespectful pay offer. NIPSA is also balloting its members for action. Will the Taoiseach raise with the Secretary of State how, in the interests of justice, this dispute needs to be resolved to the satisfaction of the workforce?

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Among other matters, the shared island initiative looks at the all-Ireland energy market. North and South, people have been hammered by rising energy costs. It may be of interest to the Taoiseach to note that one of the two major gas suppliers in the North, Firmus Energy, has just reduced its prices for gas by between 18% and, in some cases, 22% because of the reduction in wholesale gas prices. Interestingly, SSE Airtricity, which operates North and South, is not doing so.

We have a fall in wholesale energy prices and one company can reduce prices dramatically – it will amount to a reduction of €300 to €400 per year – but other companies, presumably because of their profit imperatives, are deciding not to. Does this not show how the supposedly competitive market does not deliver for consumers and where what is needed, North and South, is intervention to control the prices that are being charged to customers and prevent the profiteering that is going on by energy companies on the island? The Firmus Energy example shows it is not necessary to have price gouging of customers, who are being crucified by the energy bills they are receiving.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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My office has asked me to make a correction regarding an answer I gave earlier on. I think I said that, north of the Border, about 2,000 social homes had been built. That was incorrect – I was overgenerous. In 2021, it was 763. In 2022, it was 1,356 against 8,000 here. I remember Deputy McDonald was asked in an interview – I think it was on "The Late Late Show" – what her solution to the housing crisis would be, and she answered, or rather quipped, that the Irish were good at building houses. It is pretty clear that Sinn Féin in government is not. It has been a very poor performance by Sinn Féin, which had the finance minister and the housing minister during that period. There are people who believe the housing crisis could not get worse. It could. Sinn Féin cannot build houses, would tax landlords and would take away the help to buy scheme from first-time buyers.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Is this the Taoiseach's social media clip for the day?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Regarding the all-island women's forum report, the forum has received funding for a second year of work through the reconciliation fund of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is welcome. The Government looks forward to continuing to interact with the forum as the latter continues its deliberations. Government Departments are considering the recommendations made by the forum in its first report, including on all-island approaches to gender-based violence, deepening of North-South education links and amplifying women's voices in the media, North and South. The shared island unit also met the National Women's Council in October to discuss the second year of work of the forum.

I want to be associated with Deputies' remarks on the family-friendly and inclusive Parliament proposals for here.

I met the Ceann Comhairle about it. I want to put on record my support for the idea of a second working Chamber and that I am absolutely willing to attend and participate in that as Taoiseach and as a Deputy.

On the issue of all-island cancer research and the AICRI, I agree with the remarks of Deputy Brendan Smith and others that health has been one of the areas in which we have seen considerable progress. It has been done in a low-key, effective way whether it is cardiac services in Altnagelvin, cancer, paediatric services, or cardiothoracic surgery in Crumlin hospital. It is a really good example of co-operation. We are a very small island and we can treat conditions as an island of 7 million people in a way we could not as jurisdictions of 5 million and 2 million people. I would love to see more co-operation in that regard. I agree with Deputy Brendan Smith's comments on higher education, particularly with regard to co-operation in the north west.

I will not comment on strikes in Northern Ireland. They are industrial disputes. It is not my role to comment on them but I hope they can be resolved. They could be better resolved if the Executive was up and running. I hope that will become possible in the next few weeks or months.

I will follow up on the issue of retail gas prices raised by Deputy Boyd-Barrett. If the company has cut its retail prices in the North, it should cut them here too. Perhaps it is not as straightforward as that but I am aware of the reduction the company has announced and I hope it presages a positive announcement here.

On the UK legacy Bill the Government continues to express its deep concerns as well as the unilateral approach of the UK Government. I raised this directly with Prime Minister Sunak during our call in January and at my meetings with party leaders in Belfast. The Tánaiste also raised it at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. The UK Government has now published amendments to the Bill. However, we do not believe these alter the substance of the proposed approach and they fail to meet our concerns around immunity, compliance with human rights obligations and victims' participation. We have been consistent in our opposition to the Bill across the board and remain engaged with the UK Government on it, strongly urging it to pause its current legislative route and to return to a partnership approach that is victim-centred. I concur with Deputy Gannon's comments. We often talk about the legacy Bill in respect of murders and assaults in a conflict context. If it would give people immunity around sexual assaults as well, that would be really appalling. We know the stories of IRA people and maybe others who were involved in sexual assaults and the idea that they would somehow get immunity would be hard to stomach, if that is part of the proposal.