Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 3 Dec 2002

Vol. 558 No. 4

Written Answers. - North-South Bodies.

Seymour Crawford

Question:

207 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of offices which are set up for cross-Border purposes as a result of the Good Friday Agreement; the location of each office; the number employed in each office; if other offices are needed; if he will ensure that towns in Cavan and Monaghan will be given a fair opportunity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24818/02]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

Decisions on the locations of the North-South bodies were taken jointly with our Northern ministerial colleagues at the inaugural plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council in Armagh on 13 December 1999.

The following table shows the location of the head office and regional offices of each body and the number employed in each office. The Deputy will note that the Special EU Programmes Body has a regional office, employing five people, based in Monaghan town.

Should the need for further offices for any of the North-South bodies arise at some future date, this will again be a matter to be considered jointly by Ministers from North and South, meeting in the North-South Ministerial Council. As in the past, in deciding on the location of such offices, account will be taken of a number of factors, including any particular requirements stemming from the nature and activities of the relevant body.

Table 1

Location of the Headquarters and Regional Offices of the North-South Bodies

North-South Body	Location	NumberEmployed
InterTradeIreland Special EU Programmes Body	Newry, Co. DownBelfastOmagh, Co. TyroneMonaghan	3419 7 5
Foras na Gaeilge	Dublin	32
Ulster-Scots Agency	Belfast	4
Foyle, Carlingfordand Irish LightsCommission	DerryCarlingford, Co. Louth	30 4
Food Safety PromotionBody	CorkDublin	17 7
Tourism Ireland Ltd. In addition to staff in its offices in its head office and regional office, Tourism Ireland has 89 employees in a variety of locations overseas.	Dublin	37
Waterways Ireland In addition to staff employed in its head office and regional offices, Waterways Ireland has a total of 240 field staff working in a variety of locations along the inland waterways network for which it is responsible.	Coleraine, Co. DerryEnniskillen, Co. FermanaghCarrick-on-Shannon, Co. LeitrimScarriff, Co. ClareDublin	1554 7 7 9