Written answers

Thursday, 27 October 2022

Department of Rural and Community Development

Cross-Border Co-operation

Photo of Paul DonnellyPaul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

342. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development given the recently produced "iCommunity" policy supported by the Northern Ireland Department for Communities, and by the shared Island Unit in the Department of An Taoiseach, if her Department has given consideration to funding any proprietary works that need to be done to bring communities together, taking into account the regionality, urban- rural differences and a diversity of traditions. [54185/22]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Bringing communities together is central to much of the work of my Department, particularly through the PEACE PLUS programme 2021 – 2027. This is a new North South cooperation programme which will have a lasting impact on peace and prosperity in the region through combining the existing PEACE and INTERREG EU funding strands into one cohesive cross-border programme, with a total value of €1 billion. It will be a vital source of investment over the coming years and will be delivered by the European Union, UK Government, Irish Government and Northern Ireland Executive. The launch is anticipated in Q4 2022.

As part of the preparatory work for the launch of the programme, the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is providing pre-development application support workshops for potential applicants under a number of Investment Areas. My Department of Rural and Community Development and the relevant Departments in Northern Ireland are committed to providing support for a number of these specific Investment Areas. These workshops, which are administered and funded via the SEUPB, include processes whereby interested organisations can build partnerships or working opportunities for delivery of projects.

My Department has also committed to providing funding to the All-Ireland Endorsement Body (AIEB) for Community Work to the end of 2022. The AIEB was established in 2010 as an all island body to support and promote quality community work/community development and ensure standards and quality in practice through:

- Development and delivery of endorsement frameworks, procedures, and processes for community work education providers.

- Development of standards and support for education and training at all levels.

- Development and maintenance of standards for practitioners, community work organisations, for programmes and policy makers.

- Development and maintenance of appropriate links and exchanges with national and international quality assurance and educational bodies.

These initiatives and the endorsement process operate on an all-island basis with active encouragement of cross-border collaboration on common themes.

Furthermore, my Department is engaged with the work of the British-Irish Council (BIC) which is one of the institutions created under the Good Friday Agreement. The purpose of the BIC is to promote the harmonious and mutually beneficial development of relationships among the peoples of these islands. In 2018 the BIC Social Inclusion work sector agreed a topic of social enterprises for the work period of 2018-22.

Since 2018 officials have met in Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, Jersey, Dublin (virtually) and London. Symposiums were held in Birmingham in 2020 and Dublin in 2022. An important part of these visits was the opportunity to visit and interact with local social enterprises.

I believe these and the other initiatives delivered by my Department are successfully assisting to bring communities together as referenced by the Deputy.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.