Shared Island: Shared Opportunity – Cork

• 27 June 2022
• Topics: Environment Sustainable development
• Types: Events

As part of its Shared Island work NESC held an in-person event, in association with the Department of the Taoiseach and co-hosted by University College Cork, in the Aula Maxima, University College Cork on Thursday 7th July from 10.00am to 12.45pm.

The event was moderated by Dr Larry O’Connell, Director of NESC.

Speakers from the Cork area and further afield responded to the conclusions and recommendations in the report based on their own experiences, with a focus on future opportunities.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD stressed the importance and relevance of NESC’s research in moving from aspiration to action on the Government’s commitment to building a shared island.

Video address to be given by Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD.

Others emphasised the significance of the Good Friday Agreement and the challenges of Brexit. The need to build trust, support participation and expand horizons was highlighted. The role of civil society and people to people relationships was acknowledged as critical to all-island relationships. Some of the challenges included the need for better transport links, e.g. between Cork and Belfast, as well as better data and statistics at an all-island level.

Specific project examples were presented on north south links, such as the Imaging 2050 project on community engagement in climate action and the TOGETHER project on collaborating across prison walls and borders. Opportunities for funding for collaborative projects on peace and prosperity through the PEACE PLUS programme were highlighted, along with possibilities for liaison between local authorities e.g. on learning cities and healthy cities, and on biodiversity and the circular economy. Concluding comments stressed the shared agenda of ‘saving the planet’, and undertaking collaborative projects.

View:

Summary of the Events

Presentations given are listed below:

Introduction and Context: Dr Mary C. Murphy, UCC

Shared Island Perspectives

Community Perspective
Miriam Holt, National Coordinator, National Collective Community Based Women’s Networks (NCCWN)
Environmental Perspective
Dr Alexandra Revez, Environmental Research Institute, UCC on the Imagining 2050 project

Shared Island Opportunities

TOGETHER Project: Collaborating across prison walls and borders (with QUB)
Prof Maggie O’Neill & Dr James Cronin, UCC
PEACE PLUS Programme
Gina McIntyre, CEO, Special EU Programmes Body

Find out more about the NESC work on Shared Island.