Naoise Ó Muirí
Question:113. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will provide an update on the Shared Island Civic Society Fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8722/26]
View answerThursday, 5 February 2026
Questions (113)
Written answers
The Shared Island Civic Society Fund has been in operation, on a pilot basis, since 2023, and is focused on supporting cross-border cooperation between civic society organisations,
The Fund is a key component of the Shared Island initiative, promoting practical North South cooperation and engagement across a range of sectors and themes, consistent with the objectives and the commitments of the Good Friday Agreement. It supports projects which have a clear North South dimension, involving cross-border partners collaborating on a project to strengthen North South civic, economic, cultural, and/or political links.
The Fund is now one year into its second, three-year, phase, with a total budget of €6 million for the 2025-27 period, co-funded by my Department and the Department of the Taoiseach. Last December, I announced the successful applicants for the fourth round, and funding of just under €2 million has now been disbursed amongst sixty-four community-based cross-border projects across the island of Ireland. Full details of this and previous rounds can be found on the www.gov.ie/en/department-of-foreign-affairs/services/shared-island-civic-society-fund/.
The table below provides details of the growth of the fund since it was launched in 2023:
|
|
|
|
|
|
ROUND |
BUDGET |
APPLICATIONS |
PROJECTS FUNDED |
|
Q1 2023 |
€500,000 |
160 |
20 |
|
Q3 2023 |
€1m |
80 |
35 |
|
2024 |
€1.5m |
112 |
52 |
|
2025 |
€2m |
150 |
65 |