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Reimagining Cross Border Cooperation: Launch of the Developing Irish Sea Cooperation (DISC) Project
Thursday, 26 September 2024
(left to right) Sophia Alves Director DG Regional and Urban Policy at EU Commission, Andrew Condon Head of Cohesion Policy at Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, Gina McIntyre CEO of the Special EU Programmes Body
A project aimed at enhancing social and economic co-operation between Northern Ireland, Ireland, Wales and Scotland has been launched by ministers on both sides of the border.
Irish Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Paschal Donohoe TD and the Executive’s Finance Minister Dr.Caoimhe Archibald MLA, yesterday (26 September 2024), launched the Developing Irish Sea Cooperation (DISC) project which will foster impactful cooperation between all four administrations over the next two years.
DISC is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). The project aims to enhance social and economic cooperation by beginning a process of strategy development and action planning for future North-South and East-West cooperation.
DISC will adopt a more proactive approach to future cross-border cooperation by bringing together national, regional, and local leaders across a range of sectors, leveraging top-down strategic guidance and bottom-up community engagement to deliver holistic and inclusive cooperation.
Minister Donohoe said:
“As a tangible example of North-South and East-West cooperation, DISC brings together a diverse coalition of partners, including the Southern Regional Assembly in Ireland, The Executive Office in Northern Ireland, the Welsh Government and the Scottish Government.”
Minister Archibald speaking after the event said:
“I welcome the launch of the PEACE PLUS funded DISC project. This will provide the opportunity for partners to cooperate on shared issues on a North-South and East-West basis and build positive relationships between our administrations to identify the opportunities to inform future engagement.”
DISC will convene a Project Steering Committee of high-level strategic and policy decision-makers from each jurisdiction, ensuring that the project’s ambitions align with and maximise national and regional policy goals. In parallel, DISC will host symposiums across each jurisdiction, where grassroots stakeholders will have a platform to share their experiences, explore the challenges and opportunities for future North-South and East-West cooperation.
SEUPB Chief Executive, Gina McIntyre, said:
““The DISC project provides an amazing opportunity to harness the potential for future strategic development for economic prosperity and growth both North-South, and East-West.
“These diverse projects will bring wide-ranging interventions and improvements aimed at unlocking the huge potential that exists from greater collaboration at an administrative and statutory level on these islands. North-South , East-West collaborations will be essential going forward, and this project will begin the process of formalizing these relationships and shared opportunities for the benefit of so many of our citizens and I am very excited by the opportunities that lie ahead.”
