At the inaugural meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council in tourism sectoral format, held in Belfast on 27 October 2000, the council agreed that the board of the new all-island tourism marketing company – Tourism Ireland Ltd. – would have 12 members. It was decided that the membership was to be appointed on a 50:50 North-South basis and comprise an independent chairperson and vice-chairperson, the chairpersons and chief executives of Bord Fáilte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and three appointments from the North and three from the South representing tourism industry interests.