Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I was pleased to launch the Shared Island Civic Society Fund earlier this year, in response to a need identified in the Shared Island dialogues for targeted support for civic society across the island to work more effectively together on issues of common interest.

The Fund is aimed at civic society and community organisations. It supports them in the development of practical North South cooperation and engagement, including new cross-border links. It allows existing partnerships to be strengthened. It supports the broadening of cross-border connectivity on issues of relevance for the island of Ireland.

Applications to the first round of the Shared Island Civic Society Fund were accepted between 16 January and 27 February 2023. There was an extremely high level of interest in the first round of the fund, which clearly illustrates a real appetite among civic society groups, North and South, for increased cross-border cooperation. In this initial round, a total of €500,000 was provided to twenty cross-border projects , with details of the successful projects published on my Department's website.

In September, I announced the opening of a new round of the Shared Island Civic Society Fund for new applications in September, doubling the level of support available to €1 million. The closing date for this round was 23 October. The applications received are currently being assessed by my officials.

When I established the Shared Island Initiative as Taoiseach three years ago, I was very clear that the Initiative was a whole-of-government priority. The Shared Island Civic Society Fund is one part of the Department of Foreign Affairs response, and I look forward to further developing the Department’s Shared Island programme in the period ahead.