“I am delighted to announce the 25 successful projects which have been awarded funding under the Shared Island Local Authority Funding Scheme. I am not only struck by the diverse range of projects which have come through the process, I am particularly pleased to see such a significant geographic spread across the island.

“Local Authorities in the border region have long-standing partnerships with their Northern counterparts, which I hope will be further enhanced through schemes such as this, and it’s important that there are also newer partnerships such as the projects involving Waterford and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and Kerry, Cork, Donegal and Ards and North Down Borough Council that can contribute to the Shared Island vision of communities North and South working together on shared opportunities.”

“This is an exciting time for the Local Authorities which have been awarded funding under the Shared Island Local Authority Funding Scheme.

“It’s the first step in a process, which will see them develop concrete plans on strategic North-South investment projects that can make a real difference, not only in their local communities, but regionally and island-wide as well. Through the government’s Shared Island Fund, and the work of the partner Local Authorities, our goal of investing for a more connected, sustainable and prosperous island is moving ahead.”

“I am very pleased to see Local Authorities playing such a key role in the Shared Island initiative. Local Authorities have vital knowledge and experience in delivering for their communities, towns and villages. Through this scheme, they have identified opportunities to meet regional development goals and challenges - like climate change, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable tourism - and will now work on a pipeline of new, ambitious and collaborative projects with their Local Authority partners in Northern Ireland.

“This development funding is a central catalyst in taking existing partnerships to the next level and instigating new ones, encouraging Local Authorities, not just in the border region, but right across this island to work together for a shared future."

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Notes

Lead	Partners	Project title	Description	Funding award
Carlow County Council	Fermanagh and Omagh District Council; Newry Mourne and Down District Council; Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council; Wexford, Laois, Kildare and Meath Councils	All-Ireland Columban Way Feasibility Study	Feasibility study to scope the development and economic return of a fully connected Columban Way walking route, traversing North and South. Concept route is based on a pilgrim route connected to the life of St. Columbanus.	€250,000
Cavan County Council	Fermanagh and Omagh District Council	Our Shared Heritage, Where We Belong (Castle Saunderson / Castle Caldwell)	Advance a series of interlinked capital works at two iconic sites in the border region, Castle Saunderson, Co. Cavan and Castle Caldwell, Co. Fermanagh. Development of these sites for local people and visitors to experience nature and cultural activities.	€250,000
Cavan County Council	Fermanagh and Omagh District Council; National Parks and Wildlife Service; Ulster Wildlife; Geopark Ambassadors and Geopark Business Network	Cross border masterplan for Cuilcagh	To build on the views and traditions of all communities around Cuilcagh Mountain and shape a plan based on regenerative tourism, sustainable recreation, climate smart conservation, interpretation, and community partnership. Developing and implementing solutions for climate action and conservation and sustainable tourism on the uplands of this UNESCO designated Geopark.	€150,000
Cork City Council	Belfast City Council	Cork-Belfast Harbour Cities	Feasibility work to develop collaboration and coordinated investment propositions by Belfast and Cork City Councils for Docklands regeneration and on Climate Action. Including a catalyst development scope and viability study for the docklands, and joint examination of climate action best practice by Councils including for adapting commercial and office buildings and roll out of EV public fleets.	€90,000
Cork City Council	Derry and Strabane District Council; Belfast Learning City, Learning Limerick, Dublin Learning City	Our Learning Island	Exploring feasibility of projects built on the UNESCO Learning City exchange programmes, involving partners in Cork, Derry and Strabane, Belfast, Dublin and Limerick. Identification of two feasible capital projects for a Learning Island based on consultation and specifically examining: inclusive music education; youth centres for traditional currach building and rowing; and, community growing projects.	€128,607
Donegal County Council	Fermanagh & Omagh District Council	Innovation Plazas	Feasibility for development of twin cross-border Innovation Plazas in Ballyshannon, Donegal and Irvinestown, Fermanagh to foster enterprise opportunities in renewable energy, advanced manufacturing & engineering and agri-food, with cross-border networks and knowledge- sharing to support in growth in these sectors.	€176,000
Donegal County Council	Derry City & Strabane District Council	North-West Decarb - Exemplar Decarbonised Public Buildings & Transportation Project	Feasibility for cross-border Exemplar Decarbonised Public Buildings & Transportation project to inspire the carbon-neutral journey in Donegal and Derry.	€250,000
Donegal County Council	Derry City & Strabane District Council	North West Regulatory Technology Cluster	Development work for a cross-border, all-island national institute bringing together companies, academics, and public bodies to drive world-class research and innovation within Regulatory Technology.	€150,000
Donegal County Council	Derry City & Strabane District Council	Slí Cholmcille pilgrimage route	Feasibility assessment for a pilgrimage route linking key Colmcille-related sites across the cross-border landscape. Support cross-border tourism, recreation and connecting communities through the shared heritage of Colmcille - a unifying figure and symbol of cooperation on the island.	€250,000
Donegal County Council	Fermanagh & Omagh District Council	Regenerative Tourism Cross-border Project	Feasibility to develop an ambitious regenerative tourism project along the Donegal-Fermanagh rural border region involving engagement with the region’s place, past and people, seeking to attract high-yield environmentally-conscious visitors establishing a cluster of outdoor activity businesses, with economic gains for accommodation providers, food outlets and venues in towns and villages.	€150,000
Dublin City Council	Belfast City Council	Circular Economy Partnership	Feasibility of a circular economy partnership between Dublin and Belfast to jointly develop infrastructure, facilities, and institutional frameworks to support transition to a green economy and meet climate ambitions. To identify opportunities to make the island a leader in establishing a vibrant, equitable, and innovative Connected Circular Economy.	€250,000
Fingal County Council	Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor – Belfast City Council; Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon; Lisburn & Castlereagh; Newry, Mourne & Down	Corridor Enterprise Hubs	Feasibility of development of sectoral enterprise hubs in the DBEC region; identifying scope for new or repurposed facilities based around sectoral clusters, and identifying sectoral strengths and existing and emerging business clusters throughout the cross-border region including FinTech, Digital Health, Agri-Tech and Advanced Manufacturing.	€150,000
Galway City Council	Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council	Culture Connects	Testing the feasibility of creating new knowledge capital through a diverse artist-led, cross-border support programme for emerging cultural practitioners; specific assessment of development need, operations and development costs for Artist Residency and Workplace sites on a cross-border basis.	€149,900
Galway City Council	Derry & Strabane Council; Ulster University; Galway Culture company; Creative Enterprise West; Atlantic Technological University; Western Development Commission	ARCC - Atlantic Region of Creative Content	Bringing together the expertise and strengths of the partner organisations to support the development of an all-Island Creative Industries Cluster facilitated through virtual production spaces and clustering for the creative industries North and South.	€147,000
Galway County Council	Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council; Leitrim County Council; BIA Innovator Campus, Galway	AgriFood Infrastructure Enabling Growth	Collaboration to develop Excellence Centres in Food Innovation and Agritech across three themes; establishment of the first cross-border Food + Agritech Innovation Network; feasibility of new investment projects by cross-border Local Authority partnerships.	€250,000
Kerry County Council	Ards and North Down Borough Council, Donegal, Cork County Councils	Four Points feasibility study	Feasibility work on linking, enhancing and cross-promoting the four extreme geographic points on the island - Malin Head, Donegal; Brow Head, Cork; Burr Point, Down; and, An Dún Mór, Kerry - to create joined-up sustainable tourism experiences to attract additional visitor footfall, stays and spend to benefit local communities.	€100,000
Leitrim County Council	Mid Ulster District Council; Department for Communities (NI); Irish Central Border Area Network (ICBAN)	Ringforts Feasibility Study – Killahurk, Co Leitrim/ Tullaghoge, Co Tyrone	Feasibility into two associated Ringfort developments on each side of the border: to transform a derelict Ringwork at Killahurk, near Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim, and development of a new pathway linking Tullaghoge Fort to Tullyhogue village, near Cookstown, Co Tyrone, and investigation of new approaches to interpretation of a recently-discovered settlement there.	€110,000
Louth County Council	Newry, Mourne & Down; East Border Region; Fáilte Ireland; Tourism Northern Ireland; Loughs Agency	Feasibility project to develop Carlingford Lough as a tourism destination of excellence	Cross-border study to audit existing activity tourism and identify new tourism offerings in the Carlingford Lough area providing the basis for a capital investment proposal to establish to area as a premier outdoor recreation destination on the island.	€150,000
Meath County Council	Ards and North Down Borough Council; Newry Mourne and Down District Council; Louth County Council	Exploring Sustainable Nature Based Solutions to Coastal Erosion in the East Border Region’	Local Authorities will work on a cross-border basis to identify the causes of and investigate nature-based adaptation options to address Coastal Erosion. Project to identify a number of demonstration sites for testing these innovative solutions, forming the basis for a new investment project.	€147,000
Monaghan County Council	Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council; Fermanagh and Omagh District Council; Mid Ulster District Council; Cavan County Council	Development of Sectoral SME innovation clusters and cross-border collaborative networks across five Local Authority areas	Five Local Authorities collaborating to develop SME innovation clusters in Agri-food, Agri-Tech, and Advanced Manufacturing to support North/South collaborative networks through strategic investment in well-planned industrial land and enterprise space.	€250,000
Monaghan County Council	Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council; Newry Mourne and Down District Council; East Border Region Ltd; Ulster Wildlife; Louth and Meath County Councils	Feasibility Of Restoring A Necklace of “Peace LANDS – Peatlands” along the East Border Region	Developing a plan for how to restore peatlands in the region; delivering quantifiable emission reduction targets and areas of degraded peatlands in improving ecological condition. Result of prioritised sites for peatland/wetland restoration forming an investment proposal to deliver benefits for biodiversity, climate and people.	€148,000
Monaghan County Council Fermanagh & Omagh District Council; Mid Ulster District Council	Sliabh Beagh	Development study for Sliabh Beagh - a rural, mountainous area which straddles north Monaghan, Fermanagh and South Tyrone.	Work will identify a range of products to create a package of interventions to support the development of sustainable tourism and outdoor recreation on Sliabh Beagh.	€145,475
Monaghan County Council	Louth County Council; Newry Mourne and Down District Council; Ards and North Down Borough Council; Armagh Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council; East Border Region	Feasibility study for LA’s to develop zero carbon HGV roadmaps	Project to assist Local Authorities on a cross-border basis to develop zero- carbon HGV roadmaps. Identifying opportunities and conditions for clean energy transition with green hydrogen and other renewable options. Project will map three phases for sustainable energy use in local authority HGV fleets: Planning - identify renewable refuelling routes; Development - trial / testing of HGVs; Deployment - HGV route expansion.	€150,000
Sligo County Council	Fermanagh & Omagh District Council; Leitrim County Council	Economic Assessment of Potential for Business Development along the Sligo Leitrim and Northern Counties (SLNCR) Greenway	Conducting an Economic Visioning Study to identify opportunities for business and job creation arising from the future Sligo Leitrim Northern Counties Railway (SLNCR) Greenway Project. Also identifying infrastructure and other supports to ensure economic benefits for the region.	€150,000
Waterford City and County Council	Mid and East Antrim Borough Council	Feasibility of re-purposing specific derelict, vacant or under-utilised sites/locations/facilities in four communities	To assess the feasibility of re-purposing specific derelict, vacant or under-utilised sites in four communities, two in Waterford and two in Mid and East Antrim, to act as models of best practice in respect of town/village regeneration. Assessments of the regeneration of these sites for tourism, recreational, enterprise and cultural purposes.	€230,000