IRELAND-WALES Shared Statement and Joint Action Plan 2021–25 i Ireland-Wales Shared Statement & Joint Action Plan 2021­­–25 ii Ireland.ie | gov.wales Contents 02 Shared Statement 04 Joint Action Plan 04 Introduction 06 Political and Official Engagement 08 Climate and Sustainability 10 Trade and Tourism 12 Education and Research 14 Culture, Language and Heritage 16 Communities, Diaspora and Sport 18 Overview 1 Ireland-Wales Shared Statement & Joint Action Plan 2021­­–25 Shared Statement Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence Mark Drakeford MS, First Minister of Wales © Julian Behal / DFA © Welsh Government Wales and Ireland are the closest of neighbours. The Welsh Government published its latest International Our strong and positive relationship is built on age-old Strategy in January 2020 while Ireland’s strategy for connections and a deep cultural understanding. It is also international engagement is set out in the Global Ireland a modern and vibrant relationship, made up of links and 2025 initiative. This Statement flows from both of those collaboration across many and varied spheres of activity. strategies, and the commitment in the Irish Programme for Government to deepen relations with Wales. It has been Our geography means that Ireland and Wales share a drawn up to give structure, and practical expression, to our common maritime story. The Irish Sea, the narrow strip vision of how we can work together on shared policy areas. of water which connects rather than divides us, has been traversed by our peoples over millennia. Our relationship This Statement outlines our joint commitment to bringing has grown from those historic links, rooted in our common Wales and Ireland closer together in the period from now heritage and culture and close people-to-people, family, until 2025, investing renewed energy in deepening our business, academic, cultural and sporting connections. cooperation and strengthening our connections for our We are also bound by strong economic and trading ties mutual benefit. To deal with the implications of COVID-19, with significant levels of export, investment and tourism we will need new thinking and creativity. The necessary between us. support for individuals, businesses, communities and sectors to rebuild in a sustainable way demands innovation We also share common values and interests, as modern, and commitment, and provides an overarching context to globally connected countries. We are committed to our planned actions. advancing equality, sustainability, and the promotion of cultural heritage, and to engagement with the wider Our common EU membership and joint participation world and our diasporas. in EU programmes have been a positive force for our relationship, facilitating in recent decades a flourishing of Just over twenty years ago, a new enabling environment collaboration across the Irish Sea. The UK’s departure from for Wales and Ireland came about. The 1998 Belfast / the EU has already brought change and it will undoubtedly Good Friday Agreement included the establishment of the alter and reshape the Ireland-Wales relationship in the British-Irish Council, and the 1997 advent of devolution coming years. That said, for Ireland, Wales remains a led to the creation of the National Assembly for Wales. natural partner and the ports of Wales will continue to be Recent years have seen further developments that have a vital gateway to Great Britain and beyond. For Wales, brought new energy to our engagement: the opening of Ireland remains its closest European neighbour and a the Welsh Government Office within the British Embassy priority international partner. in Dublin in 2012, and the re-opening of the Consulate General of Ireland in Cardiff in 2019. 2 Ireland.ie | gov.wales Notwithstanding the inevitable change ahead, our shared The attached joint high-level Action Plan sets out six wish is for the closest and deepest possible relationship areas of cooperation, for which the Welsh Government between the UK and Ireland, and between Wales and has devolved responsibility. These areas are: Ireland. We welcome the maintenance and protection of the Common Travel Area in this new context; it means 1. Political and Official Engagement that Irish and British citizens will continue to be free to 2. Climate and Sustainability live, work, study, vote and access healthcare and social services in one another’s countries. This freedom of 3. Trade and Tourism movement and associated framework of rights enables profound connections across Ireland and the UK, 4. Education and Research including between Ireland and Wales. 5. Culture, Language and Heritage We value the strength and resilience of our long- 6. Communities, Diaspora and Sport established connections. Similarly, we are fully committed, including through the Good Friday Agreement, to strong We commit to meeting annually to review progress on East-West institutional relationships. We welcome the implementation of the actions identified in each area, that Wales and Ireland continue to work side-by-side in and to renew the Action Plan. The Consulate General the framework of the British-Irish Council and that our of Ireland in Cardiff and the Welsh Government Office parliamentarians meet regularly through the British-Irish in Dublin will lead on delivering that Plan. They will Parliamentary Assembly. convene and encourage events to support lasting, positive connections. This will include a new high level Ireland and Wales recognise the critical importance annual Ireland-Wales Forum, which will engage political, of sustainable development, and are committed to economic and broader stakeholders to build relationships, implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals reflect on ongoing collaboration and consider (SDGs). The Welsh Government has formalised its opportunities for further cooperation. ambitions through the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act 2015 and the appointment of a Future Generations Commissioner. Ireland was the co-author of the SDGs within the UN. Progress on realising these goals is key to Ireland’s ambition for its 2021-22 term on the UN Security Council. We see this shared commitment to sustainability as an area for continued cooperation and sharing of best practice, as well as framing our priorities for action. Over the last twenty-five years, the Ireland Wales programme1 has fostered the creation of uniquely strong and focused connections across the Irish Sea at local and sectoral levels. We are committed to working together to sustain the networks which have emerged through this programme. Mawrth / Márta / March 2021 1 A maritime cross-border programme under the EU Territorial Cooperation strand of European Regional Development Funds connecting organisations, businesses and communities on the West coast of Wales with the South-East coast of Ireland. 3 Ireland-Wales Shared Statement & Joint Action Plan 2021­­–25 Joint Action Plan Introduction To deliver on our Shared Sustainable development, and a commitment to achieving a better and more sustainable future for all are at the Statement 2021-2025, the Welsh heart of our respective approaches to economic and social recovery from COVID-19, and the ongoing climate and Government and the Government biodiversity emergency. Given their urgency, climate and of Ireland have identified and sustainability will feature as an important focus of our joint work, across six areas of cooperation, for which the Welsh agreed a number of common Government has devolved responsibility: areas for closer cooperation. 1. Political and Official Engagement Spanning political, economic and 2. Climate and Sustainability cultural engagement, our ambitious 3. Trade and Tourism bilateral agenda is set out in this 4. Education and Research high level Joint Action Plan. 5. Culture, Language and Heritage Ministers will meet annually 6. Communities, Diaspora and Sport to review and update the plan, which builds on our ongoing joint work across a wide range of policy areas. Emma Coulthard, St Brigid’s Day Event 2020, hosted by the Consulate General of Ireland in Cardiff. © DFA 4 Ireland.ie | gov.wales Irish and Welsh flags line the streets of Cardiff on Match Day. © Welsh Government During the lifetime of our Shared Statement 2021-2025, and focused connections across the Irish Sea at local and we will facilitate and support collaborations which will sectoral levels. We are committed to promoting the work deliver lasting, positive and mutually beneficial outcomes. of current projects within the programme, as well as to Central to this will be an annual Ireland-Wales Forum, exploring how to support its partners to build upon its convened by the Consulate General of Ireland in Cardiff successes and further strengthen its networks. and the Welsh Government Office in Dublin. The event will engage political, economic and broader stakeholders and The Welsh Government Office in Dublin and will be an opportunity to develop relationships and deliver the Consulate General of Ireland in Cardiff will lead on the potential of current and future opportunities. on the implementation of this joint Action Plan, supported respectively by Ireland’s Department of Foreign Over the last twenty-five years, the Ireland Wales Affairs and the International Relations Team of the Welsh Programme has fostered the creation of uniquely strong Government, as well as a broad range of partners. 5 Ireland-Wales Shared Statement & Joint Action Plan 2021­­–25 1 Political and Official Engagement Our strong and positive