Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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63. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the proposals there are to have further engagement with the Department in Northern Ireland in relation to further co-operation in further education on a cross-Border and all Ireland basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12865/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am committed to the promotion and enhancement of a collaboration on a North-South basis, which allows Further Education and Training Providers to strengthen relationships in areas of mutual interest. 

Officials in my Department are working very closely with their counterparts in  Department of the Economy in Northern Ireland on the development of a proposal to address skills on a cross-border and cross-community as part of the forthcoming PEACE PLUS programme.The collaborative way in which this proposal has been developed is very welcome and a recognition of the important role which education and skills can  play in cross-border economic development. 

The inclusion of this proposal within the programme has been approved by the North-South Ministerial Council and the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is submitting its draft programme to the EU Commission.

If this proposal is agreed it will provide a strong framework for cross-border and cross-community engagement between education and training organisations to work together on development of innovative responses in the area of skills, including re-skilling.