Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the “immense continuing challenges” that the legacy of the Troubles causes must be acknowledged, as €1 billion has been invested in Northern Ireland projects. Mr Martin hosted the fifth Shared Island Forum in the Windmill Quarter in Dublin’s Docklands yesterday which saw 220 political, civic, community and economic stakeholders from across the island attend. At this it was announced that to date €1 billion has been allocated under the Government ’s Shared Island Fund, which supports all-island infrastructure projects. This comes
after €377 million in funding was announced last week to support 12 cross border projects, bringing the total to 50 currently underway. In his keynote address, the Taoiseach said the Shared Island initiative was established six years ago “in recognition of the utmost importance of the peace and stability secured by the Good Friday Agreement”. He told the forum: “The work to build a shared future with all communities on this island is not and never can be a short-term, quick-fix task. There are many
fundamental challenges which we need to approach progressively, collectively and resolutely to overcome. “We need to acknowledge that the legacy of the Troubles causes immense, continuing challenges for society, in Northern Ireland in particular, including the scourge of residual paramilitarism in afflicted communities.” Mr Martin said the “spiral of violence over 30 years” has left “enduring pain and scars for victims’ families across these islands” and the Irish and UK Government have an agreed framework for dealing with legacy. This was brought in under UK
Prime Minister Keir Starmer ’s leadership, who recently resigned as Labour will now elect a new leader to take over. The Taoiseach said the EU is also engaged with supporting peace across the island, as it supports the €1.14 billion in funding for Northern Ireland and border counties under the Peace Plus programme. He said: “Although we live on an island, we are not alone in our efforts. Today marks the start of the week in which Ireland will take up the Presidency of the
Council of the European Union for the eighth time. “And I want to take this opportunity to recall the role of the EU itself as a vocal and active supporter of the peace process and of prosperity on this island. This was not just lip service. “We are now working together – in Brussels, Dublin, Belfast and London – to develop a successor programme to underpin peace, progress and prosperity out to 2035.” Sinn Féin slammed the Government for failing to set out in its
EU presidency priorities how the North would rejoin the EU if a United Ireland was to come about. At the party’s annual Wolfe Tone commemoration on Sunday, leader Mary Lou McDonald said this country needs to prepare for a United Ireland, which is about “collapsing division and bringing the people of this island together to shape a better for all”. Ireland will officially hold the Presidency of the EU Council from July 1, with the College of Commissioners meeting kicking it all off on Thursday.
Taking place in the Taoiseach’s Co Cork , EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be in attendance alongside a commissioner from each member state. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Micheál Martin, Shared Island Fund, legacy of the Troubles, residual paramilitarism, cross-border projects, Peace Plus programme, EU Council Presidency, Mary Lou McDonald, Sinn Féin, Windmill Quarter, Dublin Docklands