Celebrating the impact of 25 years of the North-South Implementation Bodies
The Economy Minister Conor Murphy has hailed the interim findings of research on the impact of the North-South implementation bodies which were established under Strand 2 of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement as “positive”.
The Chief Executives of Tourism Ireland, InterTradeIreland and Safefood joined the Minister to discuss the impact of 25 years of all-island tourism marketing, food safety promotion, and cross-border trade and collaboration at an event in Armagh on Thursday.
Seven cross-border organisations were established in 1999 under Strand 2 of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement. Celebrating its 24th anniversary yesterday, Tourism Ireland was incorporated on 11 December 2000.
‘S2@25’ is a project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and being led by the Centre for Cross Border Cooperation.
Conor Murphy, Economy Minister at the Northern Ireland Executive, said: Economy Minister, Conor Murphy said: “I welcome the opportunity to attend today’s event to reflect on the significant contribution North South Implementation Bodies have made to life across this island over the last 25 years.
“It’s encouraging to hear ongoing research into the collective and cross-cutting impact of our implementation bodies is positive. The research points to the economic, but also environmental, cultural and health related impacts which have helped to shape the island we know today.
“The contribution our implementation bodies have made in last 25 years is remarkable.
“From my department’s perspective, the impact Tourism Ireland and InterTradeIreland have made cannot be understated. InterTradeIreland has supported over 60,000 businesses across this island to innovate, grow, and export into new markets.
“With cross-border trade now at a record level of €15bn, the positive impact of this body – not just on the economy, but on people’s lives, is plain to see. Similarly, tourism has flourished under the peace process.
” It has helped open up the island, bringing more visitors to the north than ever before. It also supports job creation, boosts entrepreneurial activity, and drives cultural diversity across the island.
“I would like to commend the work of SEUPB. With over £3bn invested to date, SEUPB continues to support better lives for over two million people fostering peace and reconciliation.
“By building skills, promoting participation, and encouraging cross-community engagement, SEUPB programmes have enabled long-term economic and social development. I look forward seeing what can be achieved in the next 25 years, and beyond.”
Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “Overseas tourism to the island of Ireland is now worth over €6.4 / £5.1 billion per year, with 8 million visitors choosing to come each year and with a quarter visiting Northern Ireland.
“Beyond the numbers, tourism is made up of inspiring businesses in local communities island wide. Tourism Ireland is committed to bringing overseas visitors who help these businesses to thrive, contributing to tourism being the foremost indigenous industry on this island.”
Margaret Hearty, who leads InterTradeIreland in Newry, added: “InterTradeIreland plays a unique role in identifying opportunities for North-South collaboration that can accelerate growth in both economies, as well as connecting business across the island to export cross-border, collaborate, innovate and attract investment.
“Across the island there are many shared policy priorities and economic opportunities that can be best addressed by working with our partners. We were established to work across the island, and so facilitating and delivering collaboration is in our DNA.
“We would like to acknowledge the success of all the North-South bodies and we look forward to working with them over the next 25 years to continue to increase all-island economic growth and cooperation.”
Safefood is headquartered in Cork and Dr Gary A Kearney, Chief Executive, said: “As a public health organisation enhancing the health of our citizens across the island through food safety and healthy eating, Safefood is delighted to celebrate and mark the many successes of North-South Bodies and we look forward to further optimising the benefits and value of cross-border working.”
The Centre for Cross Border Cooperation is working closely with project partner Atlantic Technological University, and with associate partners Foras na Gaeilge, InterTradeIreland, Loughs Agency, Safefood, SEUPB, Tourism Ireland, the Ulster-Scots Agency and Waterways Ireland.
Dr Anthony Soares, Director at the Centre, said: “Capturing 25 years of the collective knowledge, experience and achievements of the implementation bodies established under Strand 2 is a very exciting project.
“It is one of the largest research projects in which we’ve been involved. We’re delighted to be working with the chief executives, leadership teams and employees at Foras na Gaeilge, InterTradeIreland, Loughs Agency, Safefood, SEUPB, Tourism Ireland, the Ulster-Scots Agency and Waterways Ireland.
“We believe that the research report will improve communication, cross-border cooperation and collaboration which will have far-reaching results over the next 25 years.”
- The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is a North South Body with the statutory remit for managing EU funding programmes within Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
- PEACEPLUS is a cross-border funding Programme designed to support peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. The total value of PEACEPLUS is €1.14 billion.
- PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive.
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The main outputs of the S2@25 project include:
• A research report on the cross-border collaborative best practice of the implementation bodies and their experience of overcoming obstacles to their cross-border operations over the past 25 years
• A strategy jointly developed by the implementation bodies setting out how they could effectively contribute to addressing longer-term challenges and priorities shared by the two administrations, and any potential obstacles to their contributions and potential solutions
• A pilot action resulting in the testing of a short course on cross border collaboration to improve capacity for cooperation through the transfer of relevant skills, and
• Eight organisations cooperating across borders in the development and execution of a demonstration initiative comprising 3 dissemination events, and in the implementation of the joint strategy.
