Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
138. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will be announcing successful applications under the Shared Island Civic Society Fund 2023 in the near future; if he will note my full support for the application submitted for funding for a cross-Border project collaboration, "Shared Roots and Roots", between Lifestyle Development in Drogheda and Rural Health Partnership. [27644/23]
View answerI launched the Shared Island Civic Society Fund earlier this year to promote practical North South cooperation and engagement across a range of sectors and themes, consistent with the objectives and commitments of the Good Friday Agreement.
The Fund forms part of the Government’s Shared Island Initiative – which I established in 2020 – and builds on all of the progress we have already made on all-island infrastructure, research and community projects.
The Fund grew out of our successful Shared Island Dialogue series, which highlighted that civic society groups across the island would benefit from increased Government support to allow them to work more effectively with cross-border partners on issues of common interest.
Funding awarded through the Shared Island Civic Society Fund will support the emergence of new cross-border civic projects, complement work already taking place on a North South basis, and help civic society organisations to establish new strategic links.
€500,000 is available through the Shared Island Civic Society Fund this year.
I am extremely encouraged by the level of interest in the Shared Island Civic Society Fund this year. In total, my Department received one hundred and sixty applications, seeking over €5 million in funding. I believe that this is indicative of a real appetite among civic society groups, North and South, for increased cross-border cooperation.
Officials in my Department reviewed all applications in detail, assessing proposals on their alignment with the Fund’s objectives; their expected impact based on clear outputs and outcomes; the capacity of applicant organisations to deliver results; and the applicant organisations’ financial management capacity, governance arrangements, monitoring and evaluation systems, and sustainability.
I am pleased to confirm that the appraisal process has now been completed. I look forward to announcing the full list of organisations to whom funding will be awarded in the near future.
