Shared Island newsletter

Shared Island Initiative Newsletter

This newsletter provides subscribers with updates on the Government's Shared Island initiative to enhance cross-border cooperation and connections on the island and engage with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.

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This edition brings together the latest updates on the Government's Shared Island Initiative to enhance cross-border cooperation and connections on the island and engage with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future.

Recent highlights include:

• €20m Shared Island Sustainability Capital Grants announced
• Shared Island Coast-to-Coast Tourism investment announced
• Shared Island Civic Society Fund support for 64 cross‑border community projects
• Shared Home Place: Diaspora Voices initiative announced
• Bovine TB cross-border pilot project launched
• Shared Island Teachers’ Research Exchange (T-REX) Platform announced
• Operation Encompass – Cross-Border learning exchange event on domestic violence
• Research: How do disability rates differ across the island of Ireland?
• In Brief: Shared Island Funding Calls Now Open
• Coming Soon: Fifth Shared Island Forum
• In Focus: Community Climate Action Programme

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, along with Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke and Minister for the Economy Northern Ireland, Caoimhe Archibald, announced six successful projects under the €20 million Shared Island Sustainability Capital Grant scheme.

Announcing the funding, the Taoiseach said, “I warmly welcome the deepening collaboration by enterprise agencies North and South, through the Shared Island Sustainability Capital Grant scheme. There is so much to be gained from island-wide cooperation in working to meet our common climate goals and the Government is pleased to support the Sustainability Capital Grants scheme with a total of €20m through our Shared Island Fund.”

Each of the six projects announced will combine public and private funding to introduce innovative solutions and technology to decarbonise industrial processes and support sustainable growth and jobs across the island of Ireland. The funding will support businesses across the island in advancing capital projects that use sustainable technologies to reduce industrial emissions.

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In February, 13 new tourism projects were approved under the Shared Island Coast-to-Coast Capital Investment Scheme, with almost €2.7 million in funding awarded.

This funding will improve visitor attractions in Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Derry and Antrim. The projects will add new digital features, better storytelling and upgraded facilities to help strengthen the links between the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route.

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In December, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, announced €1.92 million in funding under the Shared Island Civic Society Fund.  The funding will support 64 cross‑border, community‑based projects across the island of Ireland, spanning activities from youth and cultural groups to local heritage and environmental initiatives.

If you’re interested in applying for funding through the Shared Island Civic Society Fund, a call for applications is due to open in the coming weeks.

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Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, has launched the Government’s new Shared Home Place: Diaspora Voices initiative. It is designed to bring together Irish people abroad, from all traditions and backgrounds, to explore their shared heritage and cultural, place-based connections and the future of our shared island.

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On 19 February, the Government announced the launch of a new cross-border pilot project to tackle bovine tuberculosis (TB) on a regional basis. The pilot, launched by Minister Martin Heydon and Minister Andrew Muir, will operate in selected areas in Donegal and the north-west of Northern Ireland and will test a coordinated, all-island approach to TB eradication between 2026 and 2031.

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In January, the North-South Shared Island Teachers’ Research Exchange (T-REX) platform was announced by Minister Hildegarde Naughton and Minister Paul Givan. The platform provides educators across Ireland and Northern Ireland with a digital community for professional learning and collaboration. It bridges the gap between research and school-based practice, ensuring that evidence-informed teacher strategies are employed to better meet the needs of all pupils across the island, including those facing a range of barriers to education.

The T-REX programme is part of a Shared Island pilot cooperation programme between Department of Education and Youth and Department of Education in Northern Ireland to address educational underachievement.

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On 19 March, Minister Jim O’Callaghan, representatives from An Garda Síochána, the PSNI, schools, education partners, social care professionals, and public servants from both North and South gathered in Drogheda for an Operation Encompass – Cross-Border Learning Exchange event.

Operation Encompass is an early intervention initiative in place in Northern Ireland since 2021 which enables schools to receive timely information when a child has been affected by domestic violence, ensuring appropriate support is provided. The Government is now legislating to introduce Operation Encompass in Ireland, with insights from this event helping to shape its development, including an initial pilot in Drogheda. This North-South cooperation is supported by the Shared Island Initiative.

On 2 April, the ESRI published a new report, Disability Rates across the island of Ireland, as part of the joint research programme between the ESRI and the Department of the Taoiseach’s Shared Island Unit. The report provides the first detailed, side‑by‑side comparison of disability prevalence in Ireland and Northern Ireland using recent (2021/22) census microdata. It finds that overall disability rates among 20–69 year‑olds are very similar North and South.

However, the severity of disability differs significantly, with Northern Ireland recording a notably higher share of people experiencing more severe disabilities. The report also examines the key determinants of disability in both jurisdictions, focusing on socioeconomic characteristics, health conditions, and labour market factors.

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A new all island WeVenture programme, delivered by InterTradeIreland with Invest Northern Ireland and Enterprise Ireland under the Shared Island Enterprise Scheme, supporting women researchers to explore the commercial potential of their research, has officially launched and is now open for applications.

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A new phase of the Creative Climate Action Fund has been launched to support large-scale creative projects that help communities engage with climate action, with €1 million dedicated to cross‑border initiatives under the Shared Island strand.

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Applications are now open for the Shared Island Touring Scheme, to enable support for cross-border touring and cross-border artistic co-productions on the island of Ireland. The Scheme, delivered by the Arts Council and Arts Council of Northern Ireland, will support island-wide creative partnerships, encouraging dialogue, shared understanding and cultural exchange.

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The Fifth Shared Island Forum will take place in the coming weeks, with programme details to be announced soon. The Forum is a key part of the Government’s Shared Island Initiative, providing an opportunity to engage with people and organisations from across the island on a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.

What do sailing clubs in Roscommon and Antrim, farms in Dublin and Belfast, and GAA clubs in Waterford, Tyrone, Monaghan, and Fermanagh all have in common? They were all supported through a €3 million allocation under the Shared Island strand of the Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP).

In September 2024, funding was awarded to over 40 projects led by sporting, heritage, business, environmental, and other community groups to deliver climate actions on a collaborative, cross-border basis. As these projects move into completion in 2026, we spoke to some individuals involved about their experiences and the impact on their communities.

Accessible boating with Lough Ree Access for All and Belfast Lough Sailability
Two leading providers of accessible boating in the North and South, based in Roscommon and Antrim, enhanced the sustainability of their operations. Both clubs installed solar PV systems, battery storage, and electric boat engines. Lough Ree Access for All planted three community orchards in Ballyleague, while Belfast Lough Sailability added an EV charging point and recycling facilities. The project reduced carbon emissions, saved energy, and raised local awareness of the benefits of cross-border climate action.

Urban farming in City Farm Ballymun and St. James Community Farm
In Dublin and Belfast, these city farms focused on practical, sustainable solutions for urban food growing. Initiatives included solar-powered rainwater pumps, secure cycle parking, and a green roof in St. James Community Farm to support biodiversity. These measures reduce reliance on mains water and fossil fuels while demonstrating simple, effective ways for urban communities to take climate action.

Community sports facilities for Scotstown GAA and Roslea Shamrocks
Located just 12 kilometres apart, Scotstown GAA in County Monaghan upgraded lighting and doors, while Roslea Shamrocks in County Fermanagh improved insulation in doors and windows and added bike racks to encourage low-carbon travel. These measures reduce energy use, cut running costs, and provide a visible example of how local sports clubs can lead on climate action.

Sustainable practices with Affane Cappoquin and Sigersons GAA Clubs
Though geographically distant, these riverside clubs in Waterford and Tyrone share many similarities. Affane Cappoquin upgraded solar PV, bike parking, rainwater collection systems, and are transforming a dying ash plantation into an accessible biodiversity space. Sigersons GAA installed solar PV, rainwater collection for toilets, a green roof, and biofuel upgrades. Together, these measures saved over 42 cubic meters of water, cut energy use and emissions, and encouraged wider discussions around climate action policies in both clubs.