Vol. 469 No. 3
213 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if the cross-Border steering committee on rural development, which was established in 1991 is still functioning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17397/96]
This committee, which was established by the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in 1991, continues to meet on a regular basis. To date, some 18 meetings have been held with a further meeting to take place shortly.
The main work of the committee involves encouraging bottom-up rural development initiatives; monitoring progress on local rural development initiatives emerging from cross-Border rural communities, and helping to reconcile rural development policy and practices on both sides of the Border. The committee reports on its activities to the Intergovernmental Conference.
