Simon Harris praised cross-border collaborations in health and education across the NW as he backed the expansion of Derry’s university campus in his first official visit to the city as Taoiseach.

The Taoiseach said that it struck him that there were places on the island much smaller than Derry but with much bigger student populations.

Speaking after being hosted by Mayor Lilian Seenoi-Barr at the Guildhall and before delivering the annual John Hume Tip O’Neill chair lecture at Ulster University, the Fine Gael leader said: “I just think the North West region has so much potential. There are people in Donegal who are coming and getting life-saving treatment over the border, medical students are moving in both directions between Donegal and Derry.

“The NW region on this island has so much potential, with projects like the A5 and our determination to commit €600 million to that, and the Ulster University expansion.”

He highlighted the potential for better infrastructure connectivity by road and by air and the issue of critical mass of students.

“When I was the Minister for Further and Higher Education, I was very struck by the fact that there are many cities on the isle of Ireland that have a smaller population but a larger student population than Derry. That just doesn’t make sense.

“I think back as I remember John Hume today, to his civil rights marches, talking about access to education as a civil rights issue: it was then, it is now.”

“I’m so ecstatic we are seeing significant progress on both sides of the border in terms of providing opportunities for the next generation in access to third-level education.”

Taoiseach Simon Harris T.D. joins with John McGrillen, CEO of Tourism Northern Ireland, Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland and Alice Mansergh, CEO of Tourism Ireland, along with Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Cllr. Lillian Seenoi Barr, to mark the positive progress of the Shared Island Wild Atlantic Way/Causeway Coastal Route Tourism Brand Collaboration Project. (credit- Derry Journal)

During Taoiseach Simon Harris’s visit to Ulster University Magee he said: “I was pleased to visit Ulster University in Derry once again today, with its thriving campus alive with new and returning students on their higher education journey.

“It was a priority for me as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science, to agree and move forward in June 2023 with the major Shared Island Fund investment by the Irish Government in Ulster University’s campus, fulfilling our commitment under the New Decade, New Approach agreement to support the expansion of student numbers in Derry and economic opportunity for young people across the North West.”

“As Taoiseach, I affirmed with Vice-Chancellor Bartholomew today the Government’s partnership with Ulster University, including on the new teaching building project and funding of student healthcare training places in Derry. We also discussed Ulster University’s wider development and expansion plans and commitment to cross-border cooperation, in delivering a world-class institution that attracts students and researchers from across the island of Ireland, Great Britain and around the world.

“The Government will be working to see cross-border tertiary education and research links, both North/South and East/West, reach even greater heights in the time ahead.”

Ulster University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Bartholomew said: “We were delighted to welcome Taoiseach Simon Harris to Ulster University in Derry to showcase our thriving campus and our ambitious plans for growth as we look ahead to the development of the new teaching and student services building supported by the Government of Ireland, through the Shared Island initiative.

“The Taoiseach has been a long-standing supporter of our work here in the North West, both during his time as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and now, as Taoiseach. Today’s visit was an opportunity to further discuss our distinct regional mission and our shared commitment to transform education and support economic growth in the North West.”

“In Derry, we are providing the most comprehensive healthcare higher education offering in the UK and Ireland. This is a campus that is addressing key challenges in the healthcare sector head on, whether that be through training the next wave of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals to combat staff shortages across the North West and beyond, or with our pioneering research into personalised medicine. It was a pleasure to discuss this with the Taoiseach and share our plans for continued investment in Derry.”

Announced in 2023, the €44.5 million investment at Ulster University’s campus in Derry by the Government of Ireland through the Shared Island initiative will expand higher education in the North West region.

This aims to provide additional lecture and seminar spaces, computer labs and on-campus student services. The facility will also underpin research and teaching cooperation between Ulster University and Atlantic Technological University in Donegal, while also enabling the four North West Tertiary Education Cluster institutions to work more closely together in the provision of further and higher education in the region.

Earlier in the visit, Simon Harris met with with John McGrillen, CEO of Tourism Northern Ireland, Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland and Alice Mansergh, CEO of Tourism Ireland to welcome progress with the implementation of the Shared Island Wild Atlantic Way/Causeway Coastal Route Tourism Brand Collaboration Project.

The Government of Ireland allocated €7.6m from the Shared Island Fund for this cross- border tourism brand collaboration and marketing initiative which is delivered on a cooperative basis by Tourism Northern Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, in consultation with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Ireland) and the Department for Economy (Northern Ireland).

The Taoiseach said: “I am delighted to join with the CEOs of the three Tourism Agencies on the island this morning to highlight their positive collaboration, supported through our Shared Island Fund, to link the Wild Atlantic Way and Causeway Coastal Route brands. This will undoubtedly create more opportunities for tourists from both home and abroad to experience all that Derry and the amazing North West and Northern coast regions have to offer, and I look forward to seeing the outputs of this impactful project”