Ivor Callely
Question:105 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress and work of the North-South Ministerial Council and the implementation bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16988/01]
Written Answers. - Northern Ireland Issues.
The North-South Ministerial Council – NSMC – began operating in December 1999. The council brings together those with executive responsibilities in Northern Ireland and the Irish Government to develop consultation, co-operation and action within the island of Ireland on matters of mutual interest within the competence of both Administrations.
It was agreed between the two Governments and the parties in Northern Ireland that the council would focus initially on 12 subject areas in respect of which co-operation and implementation for mutual benefit would take place, with further development of these arrangements to be possible on an agreed basis. Co-operation in these 12 areas is being implemented in two ways. In the case of six of them, it is done by means of existing bodies in each jurisdiction separately, also commonly referred to as the areas for co-operation, and in the case of six others by means of new North-South Implementation Bodies, also commonly referred to as the North-South bodies, operating at a cross-Border or all-island level.
The following are the 12 areas: the six areas for co-operation are: aspects of agriculture, education, environment, health, transport and tourism, in respect of which a publicly-owned limited company, Tourism Ireland Limited has been established to promote the entire island of Ireland overseas as a tourist destination. The six North-South bodies are: Waterways Ireland, the Food Safety Promotion Board, the Trade and Business Development Body, now titled Intertrade Ireland, the Special EU Programmes Body, the Language Body, comprising two agencies – Foras na Gaeilge and The Ulster Scots Agency, and the Foyle Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission, also comprising two agencies – the Loughs Agency and the Lights Agency.
The NSMC has responsibility for overseeing co-operation in all 12 areas. In addition to meeting twice a year in plenary format, the council meets regularly in sectoral format to take forward co-operation in the 12 areas. Since its establishment in December 1999, there have been 31 meetings of the council – two in plenary format and 29 in sectoral format.
Overall the Government is pleased with the level of progress that has been made by the council in the 18 months since its establishment. The implementation bodies are up and running, four of them involving boards of directors. In most cases, the permanent chief executives have been appointed, and in the remaining cases the work of the bodies is being taken forward by interim chief executives, pending the making of permanent appointments. Staff are being recruited and headquarters established. Active programmes of work are being undertaken by the bodies, across a broad range of areas. When fully operational, these bodies are expected to employ a total staff of roughly 900 people and they have a total budget in 2001 of £64 million. I believe that, as they are already demonstrating, these bodies have very great potential in terms of the benefits they can bring to all of the people of this island, North and South.
In the six areas of co-operation, significant progress has also been made. For instance, Tourism Ireland has been established and the start-up arrangements are well advanced, under the supervision of the board of directors, reporting to my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Deputy McDaid, and his Northern counterpart, Sir Reg Empey, in the NSMC. In other important sectors involved, solid progress is also being made to the mutual benefit of both parts of the island. For instance, the council and its networks of contact and co-operation provided an important platform for the co-ordination of the campaigns of both Administrations to combat the threat of foot and mouth disease on this island.
Nobody denies that difficulties remain to be overcome. Regrettably, Sinn Féin Ministers have, since November last, been prevented from participating in the council. In their statement of 8 March in Hillsborough, the two Governments recognised that it was essential that the full implementation of the North-South Ministerial Council and the British-Irish Council resume. The pursuit of this objective will form an important part of the Government's approach to the forthcoming talks aimed at achieving the full implementation of all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement.
The Deputy will also be aware of difficulties in taking forward co-operation in the transport sector, arising from the refusal of the DUP Minister with responsibility for the matter within the Executive to participate in the North-South Ministerial Council. With the co-operation of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister, one meeting of the council has taken place in this sector. Recognising that participation in the council is one of the essential responsibilities attaching to ministerial office in both Administrations, the Government is very anxious that this blockage in the transport sector should be effectively addressed.
Work is still ongoing between the two Governments and the Northern Ireland authorities on the transfer of the functions of the Commissioners of Irish Lights to the Foyle Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission – FCILC. A number of technical issues remain to be resolved before this transfer can take place.
Notwithstanding these difficulties, solid progress has been achieved by the North-South Ministerial Council. The 31 meetings of the council to date have all been positive and constructive occasions. My colleagues in the Government are working closely and harmoniously with their pro-Agreement Northern counterparts, all of whom, regardless of political affiliation, have participated constructively in the many meetings of the NSMC which they have attended.
The experience of working the North-South institutions has demonstrated the tangible benefits of a constructive partnership between both parts of the island and should encourage us all, in the weeks ahead, to stretch further to resolve the outstanding difficulties, so that the full promise of the Agreement can be realised and sustained.