Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed the Government’s approval of over €56 million in new Shared Island Fund allocations, including significant projects under his Department that will strengthen all-island connectivity, regional development and North–South cooperation.
The package includes €2 million in 2026 to establish a new Public Service Obligation (PSO) air route between Dublin and Derry, €2 million for a new Shared Island Greenways Development Fund (2026–27) to progress cross-border active travel routes, and €6.5 million for an expanded Cross-Border Bovine TB cooperation programme (2025–2030).
Minister Canney said the introduction of a subsidised PSO service between Dublin Airport and Derry Airport is “a major boost for regional development and cross-border connectivity.” The allocation for 2026 will support the commencement of the new air service next year, delivering faster connectivity between Dublin and the wider North-West region, improved access for business, education and tourism, and complementing the existing Donegal–Dublin PSO route. A tender for the service will issue in early 2026, with the route expected to operate initially for two years with an option to extend.
He also welcomed new funding to accelerate cross-border greenway development. The €2 million allocation will provide approximately €500,000 to progress the Sligo-Enniskillen Greenway to pre-planning stage by end-2027 and will support further coordinated development work with the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure.
The fund will also enable planning and design for future cross-border greenways, including potential routes such as Buncrana to Derry, Derry to Lifford, the Ulster Canal Greenway, extensions of the Carlingford Lough Greenway, and the Warrenpoint to Newcastle route.
Minister Canney also welcomed significant investment in agriculture cooperation, with €6.5 million to strengthen joint North–South efforts to tackle bovine TB. The expanded regional programme – covering areas including Inishowen, Lifford and adjacent parts of County Derry – will include a Test Vaccinate Remove (TVR) programme for badgers, a coordinated biosecurity initiative delivered by local veterinary practitioners targeting 200 farms per year, and a sustained five-year cross-border strategy to reduce TB prevalence.
“These Shared Island investments show the real, practical value of North-South cooperation,” Minister Canney said. “Whether it’s providing new transport links, building greenways that connect communities or tackling agricultural challenges that do not respect borders, this funding delivers solutions that benefit people on both sides of the island.”
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