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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Nov 1965

Vol. 219 No. 1

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Discussions with Northern Ireland Government.

1.

asked the Taoiseach what final agreements, if any, were made following the discussions with members of the Government of Northern Ireland.

In reply to a question addressed to me in this House on 13th May last, I listed a number of concrete results which had stemmed from the discussions between Ministers and officials from both areas following my talks with Captain O'Neill. There have been further developments since then.

It was agreed at a discussion between the Minister for Health and the Northern Ireland Minister of Health and Social Services that arrangements would be made to obviate ambulance transfers at the Border and that the general question of cross-Border ambulance services would be examined.

It was agreed at a meeting last month between the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture that the two administrations would co-operate in any future drainage schemes involving cross-Border rivers.

Meetings between officials of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Northern Ministry of Agriculture have been proceeding with the general aim of advancing co-operation in agricultural and fishery matters.

A joint report on co-operation between the respective Public Record Offices has been submitted by the Deputy Keepers in Dublin and Belfast and is now under consideration.

At a discussion between the Ministers for Education in July last there was a fruitful exchange of views and arrangements were made for further discussion, at official level, on questions of mutual interest.

As far as I am concerned the most desirable outcome would be that discussions between the authorities of both areas and co-operation in the solution of practical problems of public concern would become such a well established practice that they would be regarded as usual and routine.

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