Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 October 2025
359. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment when the next call for tourism projects to apply for The Shared Island Fund 2026 will come; and the way in which local groups hoping to establish cross-Border initiatives should apply for this funding [56932/25]
View answerShared Island unit in the Department of the Taoiseach acts as a driver and coordinator of this whole of government initiative.
Shared Island funding was announced in Budget 2021, with initial €500m in capital funding available between 2021-25, ring-fenced for investment in collaborative North/South projects. My Department has taken forward two Tourism projects:
• The Shared Island Brand Collaboration Project with an allocation of €7.6 million which was granted for an all-island tourism initiative in the North West to strengthen the connection between the Causeway Coastal Route and the Wild Atlantic Way. This project is being delivered on a cooperative basis by Tourism Northern Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland.
• In February this year, an announcement of up to €23million in Government funding from the Department of the Taoiseach, was made in relation to the Shared Destinations programme. Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland will work in partnership with local authorities to develop sustainable tourism amenities across the border region in three projects: Carlingford Lough, Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark and Sliabh Beagh. The Shared Island Fund is also resourcing marketing campaigns for each shared destination, including an industry development programme, which will be developed and delivered over 2025-2030, to maximise the economic impact for each region.
Any further tourism projects over the lifetime of the Shared Island Initiative will be at the discretion of the Department of the Taoiseach.
The Shared Island Civic Society Fund is an initiative to promote practical North-South cooperation and engagement through increased cross-border civic society connections. The Shared Island Civic Society Fund run by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a €6 million three-year initiative, promoting practical North-South cooperation and engagement, primarily between grassroots community organisations across a range of sectors and themes, consistent with the objectives and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement.
Details on how to apply can be found on the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-foreign-affairs/services/shared-island-civic-society-fund/.
