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CCBS Survey results on Conditions for North-South and East-West Cooperation
CCBS  has published the results of its 3rd Quarterly Survey on the Conditions for North-South and East-West Cooperation, which were formally presented at a webinar on 22 October. The responses, which have been received from civic society organisations and local authorities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, help assess how the necessary conditions for North-South cooperation are being maintained, and how relations between organisations on the island of Ireland and Great Britain are being safeguarded since the end of the Brexit Transition Period and the implementation of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol. For further information or to watch the webinar recording please visit the CCBS website
CCBS welcomes record cross-border investment under NDP
The CCBS has welcomed the announcement that the Irish Government’s commitment of €500m to the Shared Island Fund, will be at least doubled to 2030 under the National Development Plan published in October. Investment priorities include funding for all-island climate actions, delivery of the €40m North/South Research Programme and creation of new all-island research centres, and a focus on the culture and heritage of minority communities in the border counties. Read the National Development Plan here.
‘Solutions can only be found through robust engagement’ - Anthony Soares
Writing in the Irish News in October, CCBS Director Dr Anthony Soares stated: “Even though the Northern Ireland Protocol mitigates against a border for goods on the island of Ireland, a hard administrative border is still in place. Managing two social welfare systems, differing tax obligations and education systems is a struggle for many families in the border region. We need to ease these difficulties through the provision of honest and clear communication.”
Read the full article here.
CCBS is recruiting a Communications and Events Officer
 The Centre for Cross Border Studies is seeking a person with creative flair to develop the Centre’s external profile and to raise awareness of the work of the Centre. Please visit the CCBS website for further details
Ad Hoc Group calls for proposed EU engagement to include cross-border voices
The Ad-Hoc Group for North-South and East-West Cooperation has welcomed the October proposals from the EU to establish ‘structured dialogues between Northern Ireland stakeholders (authorities, civic society and businesses) and the Commission’ on the Protocol. However, the Group urged that engagement with cross-border civic society is also essential in understanding the impact of the Protocol and that organisations based in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland must be included in any meanin  gful discussion on North-South cooperation. Read the full statement here.
The Group delivered a similar message to the Oireachtas Committee for the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement ( opening statement & session recording here) and the Oireachtas Joint Committee for EU Affairs ( opening statement & session recording here)
Guide to Human Rights and Equality in NI Under the Protocol
The Social Change Initiative (SCI) has published a report titled ‘ Human Rights and Equality in Northern Ireland Under the Protocol: A Practical Guide’. Its purpose is to explain the provisions of the Protocol and Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) dealing with human rights and equality in Northern Ireland as simply and clearly as possible. This includes voting rights, equal pay, and the European Convention on Human Rights. The guide was produced By SCI, the Human Rights Centre Queen’s University Belfast and the Donia Human Rights Centre University of Michigan.
SCoTENS host conference on teacher education and social justice
How do we understand and enact social justice so that we can ensure we are ‘all in this together’? This year’s Standing Conference on Teacher Education, North and South (SCoTENS) conference offered a timely and critical discussion of questions such as: How can teachers, teacher educators and education leaders be both educators and advocates for social justice; and to what extent can and should education be held to account for reducing inequalities? Watch the conference recording here.
The totality of relationships? Hard truths instead of comfortable lies
By Sarah Creighton, 2021 edition of The Journal of Cross Border Studies in Ireland |
