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Tánaiste Leo Varadkar to open half day online event “Building back together: Economic recovery on a shared island” Rugby legend & businessman Tommy Bowe will address more than 100 participants Dialogue will explore opportunities to enhance the economy on the island in a post-Covid environment, with a focus on young entrepreneurs, innovation and social enterprise

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD will open the fifth Shared Island Dialogue, “Building back together: Economic recovery on a shared island”, at Dublin Castle tomorrow (Wednesday 2nd June). Over 150 people from across the business, enterprise and innovation spheres and with diverse perspectives on the economic opportunities and challenges facing the island, will participate in the online event.

Speaking ahead of the Dialogue, the Tánaiste said, “The past couple of years have been a period of unprecedented change and indeed disruption, on this island. Not only are we recovering from the shock of the global pandemic but businesses both sides of the border are still adapting to the post-Brexit trading environment. “Genuine, once-in-a-generation moments are rare but I believe COVID-19 is one of them. The world won’t be the same after the pandemic. It has brought terrible hardship on many but it has also presented great opportunity – the opportunity to rebuild a better, more inclusive economy and society.

“We have shared challenges and opportunities on both sides of the border and we can deal with them far more effectively by working together. As we respond to these challenges, we will need to work more closely together and deepen links between our communities. We will need to forge a new relationship, a new vision for our shared future. “Our focus has to be on how we work for a fair, regionally balanced and sustainable economic recovery on the island. This will be driven by entrepreneurship, by good jobs, and by smart public and private investment in human, environmental and economic capital. “This Dialogue is an opportunity to hear from people with experience and understanding of each of these areas - on how best we can pursue that common good for this island, by working more closely together.”

Rugby legend and businessman Tommy Bowe, will also address the event.  He will speak to his lived experience of growing up on the border, living in Belfast, while working in Dublin and will highlight the opportunities and economies of working together. The online dialogue will profile new voices, perspectives and opportunities for economic cooperation and development on the island.  Panel discussions will explore enhanced cross-border trade and business links, post-Covid recovery, and Northern Ireland’s unique position post-Brexit.   There will also be a moderated discussion focussing on the next generation of entrepreneurs on the island. The Shared Island Dialogue series was launched by the Taoiseach in October 2020 as part of the Government’s Shared Island initiative, to foster constructive and inclusive dialogue engaging with all communities and traditions on the island on a shared future underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.

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Note to Editors:

Shared Island Dialogue series

• This Dialogue is the fifth online event convened as part of the Shared Island Dialogue series that was launched by the Taoiseach in October to foster constructive and inclusive civic dialogue with all communities and traditions on a shared future on the island, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.
• Content from the event will be posted on social media throughout the day by @merrionstreet and you can follow the discussion online using #SharedIsland 

• The Shared Island Dialogue series will continue in 2021 focusing on important issues for the future of the island, including on health and education.  The previous Dialogue in May, ‘Equality on a shared island’ can be viewed here
• The Dialogue series will contribute to the Government’s approach to the Shared Island initiative, complementing commissioned research being published through this year and next, and the implementation of commitments on a Shared Island that are set out in the Programme for Government.  
• Strengthening social, economic and political links on the island and the promotion of all-island approaches to the strategic challenges facing Ireland, North and South are key objectives.  
• The Shared Island Dialogues are being organised by the Shared Island unit in the Department of the Taoiseach in partnership with Government Departments. Today’s dialogue was delivered in collaboration with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Foreign Affairs. 

• Further information on the Shared Island initiative, can be found on www.gov.ie/sharedisland and the previous Plenary sessions of the Shared Island Dialogues are available to watch at www.gov.ie/sharedisland/dialogues. 

• In advance of the Dialogue, the National Economic and Social Council secretariat published a paper on the Island Economy as part of its Shared Island project this year. The NESC secretariat paper traces the evolution of the two economies, north and south, on the island of Ireland and describes similarities and differences in the structure of the economies and the connections between them.