€500 million commitment to North–South cooperation and inclusive dialogue
In his speech (available here) the Taoiseach Micheál Martin shed much needed light on the new Shared Island unit, a flagship policy of the coalition government he leads.
Backed by a fund of €500 million pledged in the 2021 budget, the unit works out of the Department of the Taoiseach and will promote constructive and inclusive dialogue and North–South projects. The environment, cross–border infrastructure and research and innovation are key issues on which the Shared Island team will work to further cooperation and develop new programmes. It aims to improve and deepen North–South collaboration as well as the UK–Ireland relationship as laid out in the Good Friday Agreement.
The Taoiseach said that civil society, community and voluntary organisations, as well as cultural and arts initiatives, will play essential roles in strengthening these relationships. His address, followed by Q&A featuring civil society, academic and health sector figures, precedes a wide ranging series of dialogues starting in November.
New voices
Noting that 1.3 million people have been born in Ireland since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the Taoiseach said the conversation about the island’s future has moved on and this new generation must be included. He stated that previously neglected and new voices – from women and young people – should play a more important role. This was welcomed by the panellists, such as Deirdre Garvey from The Wheel (the national association for Irish community organisations) and Lorna Fitzpatrick from the Union of Students in Ireland. The first Shared Island dialogue series will cover ‘New generations and new voices on the Good Friday Agreement’.
The Taoiseach reaffirmed that the coalition government will not be pushing for a border poll and will instead focus on improving relations with the devolved government in Northern Ireland and cross–border initiatives. He emphasised that the Good Friday Agreement respects the right of people in Northern Ireland to identify as unionist, nationalist, or neither.
Despite the UK’s departure from the European Union, he talked about commitments he and Prime Minister Boris Johnson have made to maintain close ties between the two countries.
Role for the diaspora?
While the address did not include the role of the diaspora, we were pleased to see the role of civil society, charity and community organisations in Ireland repeatedly emphasised. We look forward to the arrival of the Irish government’s new diaspora strategy in the coming weeks, which should clarify the coalition government’s vision for organisations like Irish in Britain and our members, and the role they can play in strengthening the UK–Irish ties and in the Shared Island dialogue.