Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Acting Chairperson. It is very nice to see her in the Chair today. The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. I am grateful he is taking this Commencement matter.

The shared island unit is one of the many commitments in the programme for Government that has interested and excited me. The historical significance of the unit is underestimated. For the first time in the State's history, we have a dedicated unit whose sole responsibility is to examine policy, infrastructure and the future of this island on an all-island basis. We see from the recent announcement on Narrow Water bridge and the Ulster Canal a belief in the importance of the shared island and what it can do. These projects symbolise a belief in the people of the Border region and what it can achieve. It is right, as we enter a new century, that we look forward progressively and inclusively, harnessing all the talent and resources that this beautiful island holds. That is why I ask the Department of the Taoiseach's shared island unit to allocate funds to commence inclusive engagement with schools all across the island. This would symbolise the belief among our young people and their ability to shape the future. It is necessary that we seek to encourage our young people to dream, imagine and then create the impossible. Young people look at things without the many barriers we oldies face. They are the future. Helping them now to create the future they dream of is our responsibility.I absolutely commend the work done to date by the thousands of people who have come together in civic engagement sessions. It is very welcome. The Acting Chair, Senator Flynn, has been part of this civic engagement also. My proposal is possibly a model similar to the BT Young Scientist, whereby we create a space for young people to share their views, create projects and challenge themselves on how we move forward together over the next 100 years. People on the island have worked together for many centuries. Let us work together, no matter what the constitutional status of the two jurisdictions. Get young people talking and tackling the issues of unionism and republicanism, how to improve on the status quoor how to reunite the island. It is not us who have to live with the consequences of our decisions, it is our children who must do so. I want them to create the narrative that we can help to implement.

We are in agreement. From his previous portfolio as education spokesperson, the Minister of State knows, that education creates changes. It is through education that changes will be made, challenges will be overcome and friendships will be developed. As a consequence, we will have a positive shared future. Under this, there will be no doubt this positive future will grow. Prejudices, mistrust and fear of the unknown will disappear only through this dialogue and increased co-operation. Education is something in which we all partake and we must educate everyone on the island on our history and our shared history to appreciate one's identity as British or Irish and to encourage a space where one's identity is not threatened by someone else's belief and we can all be confident in ourselves. This is why I hope the school projects challenging our wonderful young people are a positive step. I acknowledge the announcement this morning of €40 million for all-Ireland higher education research projects. It shows the shared island unit has a real emphasis on education and bringing the work of the unit to our secondary schools would be very progressive.