Blueprint for all-island economy

[Jonjo]

A groundbreaking blueprint for an all-island economy is to be unveiled by the British and Irish governments.

A host of concrete initiatives to strengthen the economy with North and South co-operation have been flagged up.

Pooling together resources in overseas trade promotion, mixing the right skills to support sustained growth, greater collaboration in research and development, and developing a world class infrastructure have been earmarked to benefit cross boarder economic activity.

Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Hain, believe the co-ordinated policies can and will deliver benefits to citizens and businesses both in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.

The move focuses on increasing co-operation in infrastructure, science, technology and innovation, trade and investment promotion, labour market and skills and enterprise and business development.

Mr Ahern said the important study makes clear the strong economic imperative driving North/South co-operation.

"To be globally competitive we must exploit the opportunities of all-island collaboration," he said.

"To make the knowledge economy a reality in Ireland North and South, the opportunities of cross-border co-operation in R&D should be eagerly grasped."

The two governments, along with business representatives, trade unions and other key stakeholders, will now jointly develop a detailed programme of work in each of the areas identified, as well as seeking further opportunities for co-operation in the education and health sectors.

Both ministers said they are looking forward to forming an important part of the work of the restored institutions.

Mr Ahern said: "In the area of infrastructure, more joined up planning and delivery will give better outcomes for people throughout the island.

"A coherent transport infrastructure is vital to support the development of areas which have historically enjoyed less economic success including the border counties and the North West."

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Peter Hain, welcomed the key outcomes from the study.

"It sets out a compelling vision of a strong competitive and socially inclusive island economy with island wide clusters whose strength and development is not impaired by the existence of a political border," he said.

"This must be our aim if we are to move forward and deliver sustained economic benefits for everyone. I look forward to further development and implementation of the goals and actions contained in the Study both in the weeks to come and as part of the agenda of the restored institutions."

The full initiatives are:

:: Pooling resources in overseas trade promotion.
Trade missions to be opened up to companies, North and South, as will access to the overseas offices of Enterprise Ireland and Invest NI.

:: The right skills mix on the island to support sustained growth

Targeted Skillnets networks to be opened up on an all-island basis to facilitate enterprise training and workplace learning. Both expert skills groups North and South to take a new all-island approach to labour market skills forecasting to identify skills gaps and propose how these should be addressed.

:: Greater collaboration in R&D
The next Irish Government call for proposals for a new Centre for Science, Engineering and Technology opened up to Universities and institutes across the island; new Programme to support SMEs in maximising the potential for cross-border co-operation under the EU`s R&D funds; an all-island Mapping Study of Centres of Research and Technological Development on the island.

:: A world class infrastructure on the island
More efficient and joined-up planning and delivery on key infrastructure, including transport, energy and telecoms will deliver better value for money and more balanced regional development

Mr Ahern told Dundalk Chamber of Commerce that in the globalised world the two parts of this island can achieve so much more together than apart.

"No-one today can be economically Partitionist, because failure to advance the all-island agenda means failure to provide jobs and services and prosperity to the people of the border counties and the entire Island," he said.

"Under this blueprint the British and Irish Government`s have agreed to bring North/South economic co-operation to a new plain.

"From now on you will see more efficient and joined-up planning and delivery on key cross-border infrastructure, including transport, energy and telecoms."

http://www.u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=77512&pt=n

[Jonjo]

looks like the wind is starting to shake the northern barley :wink:

[JCSkinner]

Looks like you don't understand the concept of 'reasonable use of copyrighted material', J.
Also, those proposals don't shake the ground beneath me. We already have joint trade and tourism missions, and cross border r+d. The EU has been paying us to develop cross border infrastructure for decades.
So what is actually new in this?
Skillnets. Well, woop-de-doo.

[KeithM]

Looks like you don't understand the concept of 'reasonable use of copyrighted material', J.
Also, those proposals don't shake the ground beneath me. We already have joint trade and tourism missions, and cross border r+d. The EU has been paying us to develop cross border infrastructure for decades.
So what is actually new in this?
Skillnets. Well, woop-de-doo.

Indeed I wonder what is the motivation behind this attempt to re-sell some old tricks? I'm wondering if there's a certain shakiness within the Irish government that SF/IRA are not going to sign-up to the St.Andrews Agreement and that by emphasising the cross border bodies that they can ease the way for the Shinners?

[Jonjo]

Looks like you don't understand the concept of 'reasonable use of copyrighted material', J.
Also, those proposals don't shake the ground beneath me. We already have joint trade and tourism missions, and cross border r+d. The EU has been paying us to develop cross border infrastructure for decades.
So what is actually new in this?
Skillnets. Well, woop-de-doo.

I didnt say it would shake the ground beneath you, use your bouncy castle for that

The current things ongoing now that you mentioned are nothing like an all-island economy but its inevitable and common sense to have one in today's markets and I understand copyright very clearly, I choose to ignore it.

[st333ve]

No doubt the unionists will jump in at dusgust about an all ireland economy, putting the peoples welfare last and the and keeping ulster british first
This has already happened when the dup opposed a 700 million contribution to roads and health in the north in the past week, what possible harm could this do? well apart from letting the irish in the south finally do seomething to help the people in the north, i myself would like to thank the irish government as it seems to be doing more for northern ireland in the last few years than it has ever done since 1916 and things like this should help the realtionship between north and south and their economy.

[badinage]

i myself would like to thank the irish government as it seems to be doing more for northern ireland in the last few years than it has ever done since 1916 and things like this should help the realtionship between north and south and their economy.

I don't see people in the North handing over their hard-earned cash to the ROI? All the North ever gave us was the IRA robbing banks and post offices, the INLA kidnapping people, and the UVF/(British security services) blowing up 33 people in Dublin and Monaghan.

[Sidewinder]

I don't see people in the North handing over their hard-earned cash to the ROI?

Ignoring the "what have the Nordies ever done for us" bit...

The fact is though that the Border creates massive economic distortions along the border counties of the Republic. None of these counties "pay their own way" and are subsidised from Dublin. Donegal in particular suffers from 14% unemployment, mostly because of its isolated position in relation to the rest of the Republic.

So the south spending money to hook up the infrastructure and encourage FDI to border areas north and south will in the long run pay for itself as the likes of Donegal and Monaghan get jobs and produce goods and services.

There are also numerous natural corridors like Letterkenny-Derry, Sligo-Enniskillen, Newry-Dundalk, Monaghan-Armagh. Developing these is just sensible investing with numerous long-term benefits, and would be cash-flow positive if considered on a time-scale longer than 6 months (which admittedly seems beyond the ken of the current generation of politicans in the Dáil)

[Westie24]

Unionist politicians have to give the stereotyped reply to all economic initiatives from the ROI for their rank and file but they aren't stupid and Unionists always liked to turn a few quid in the mighty industrial city of Belfast. So they might privately warm to the idea of North-South economic closeness once they see the Celtic Tiger benefits. At least it begins to thaw their rigid philosophy to some extent and common sense might melt through regarding various co-operations. I think the British will push it anyway whatever Unionists say as they are the ones that foot the bills up there.

[st333ve]

i myself would like to thank the irish government as it seems to be doing more for northern ireland in the last few years than it has ever done since 1916 and things like this should help the realtionship between north and south and their economy.

I don't see people in the North handing over their hard-earned cash to the ROI? All the North ever gave us was the IRA robbing banks and post offices, the INLA kidnapping people, and the UVF/(British security services) blowing up 33 people in Dublin and Monaghan.

Why should we pay the republic for cramming all their crap and troubles into northern ireland and walk away, its about time they done something to help and they should feel the need to, and we should be greatful.
You talk about guns and bombs as if only those in the north were involved, the republic had peace by giving us their war, so dont be so quick to condem what the republic had a great part in creating.
The easy way out would be to walk away from the north, the sensible thing to do would be to try and cure the problem reather than ignore it. maybe then we wouldnt have to listen to people like you looking down their nose at the people in the north which would be one huge benefit if you ask me!