Shared Island

Shared Island initiative

The Government’s Shared Island initiative aims to harness the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement to enhance cooperation, connection and mutual understanding on the island and engage with all communities and traditions to build consensus around a shared future.

The Shared Island initiative involves:

working with the Northern Ireland Executive and the British Government to address strategic challenges faced on the island of Ireland
further developing the all-island economy, deepening North/South cooperation, and investing in the North West and border regions
fostering constructive and inclusive dialogue and a comprehensive programme of research to support the building of consensus around a shared future on the island

A Shared Island unit in the Department of the Taoiseach acts as a driver and coordinator of this whole of Government initiative.

The Shared Island Fund was announced in Budget 2021, with initial €500m in capital funding available between 2021-25, ring-fenced for investment in collaborative North/South projects.

The revised National Development Plan (2021-2030) sets out an ambition for collaborative all-island investment to create a more connected, sustainable and prosperous island for all.

This is backed by unprecedented all-island investment commitments through the Shared Island Fund and other funding streams. The new Programme for Government agreed in January 2025 commits a further €1 billion to the Shared Island Fund up to 2035 to foster reconciliation, mutual respect and growth and sets out a range of new investment and cooperation commitments.

Funding from the Shared Island Fund is allocated by Government to Departments and Agencies to take forward specific projects that deliver on Programme for Government priorities on Shared Island, working with Northern Ireland counterparts. The merits of any potential new North/South projects are assessed by the relevant Government Department in the first instance.

Shared Island Initiative Report 2024 – Action on a Shared Future

The 'Shared Island Initiative Report 2024 – Action on a Shared Future' sets out the fourth year of the Shared Island Initiative, and how the Government has taken forward its commitment to engage with all communities and traditions to build a shared future on the island, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. The report was published on 10 April 2025.