The Government is bringing before the House a Bill to amend the British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999. I express my gratitude to the House for its recognition of the urgency involved in passing this important legislation. Given this urgency, the approval of the House for an earlier signature motion will also be sought.
The Northern Ireland Assembly was temporarily suspended on 15 October. This suspension has necessitated the remedial legislation before the House today. This legislation will ensure the North-South Implementation Bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement are able to continue their work during the period of suspension of the Assembly.
The suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly six weeks ago came as a disappointment to all of us committed to the Good Friday Agreement, in letter and in spirit. In a joint statement issued following the announcement of suspension the British and Irish Governments expressed their firm belief that the Agreement offered the only viable future for all the people of Northern Ireland.
One of the reasons the suspension of the Assembly is so disappointing is that devolution has largely been a success in Northern Ireland. The overwhelming majority of the population of Northern Ireland, both Unionist and Nationalist, voted for it in 1998. There have been difficulties associated with the implementation of certain other aspects of the Agreement. Nevertheless, it is clear the people of Northern Ireland feel positively about being represented by their own locally elected Assembly. Moreover, it has been a source of great satisfaction to those of us involved in parliamentary politics in this part of the island to see the positive contribution the legislative Assembly has made to political life in Northern Ireland.
The Executive has also served the people of Northern Ireland well in tackling the day-to-day tasks of public administration. Locally elected Ministers, representative of both traditions, have together taken important decisions which affect the daily lives of all the people of Northern Ireland. These arrangements, which bring inclusive government to the people of Northern Ireland, offer the best hope for future peace and stability in the region.
It is, therefore, our hope devolved government in Northern Ireland will be restored as soon as possible, well in advance of the Assembly elections scheduled for May next year. In the meantime, all of us who are committed to the full and rapid implementation of the Good Friday Agreement in all its aspects need to approach collectively the problems which face us, problems of damaged trust and frustrated expectations. Our priority now must be to address these problems with the participation of all those who support the Agreement. They have legitimate concerns which must be heard and, together with the British Government, we are engaged in consultation with them in the hope of encouraging the conditions in which suspension will be lifted.
The progress that needs to be made demands the full and constructive engagement of all those committed to the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Such engagement was clearly in evidence at last week's round table talks in Belfast, which I was pleased to attend. I will travel to Belfast later with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, for the second round of talks and look forward to further progress.
It is my sincere hope the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland will be restored as soon as possible. Pending their restoration, this remedial legislation is necessary to protect the North-South bodies and ensure they can continue to perform their important public functions. I take this opportunity to set out for the House exactly the reason this is the case and what will be the effect of the legislation.
The North-South bodies were established by an international agreement between the British and Irish Governments in accordance with the provisions of strand two of the Good Friday Agreement. That international agreement was then given effect in domestic legislation by the British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999. Under the terms of the international agreement, the North-South bodies were placed under the direction of the North-South Ministerial Council. The Council brings together Ministers from both parts of the island to develop formal North-South co-operation across an agreed range of sectors. At North-South Ministerial Council meetings Northern and Southern Ministers jointly direct and mandate the work programmes of the bodies in accordance with their statutory functions as laid down in the international agreement. The bodies are accountable to the Council for the fulfilment of their mandates and also require Council approval for a wide range of administrative matters such as annual budgets, operating plans, staffing levels and the appointment of board members.
Due to the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly, it is, unfortunately, not possible for the Council to meet. In the absence of Council meetings, the North-South bodies are unable to receive the necessary ministerial direction for their work and approval in relation to their administrative affairs. The system put in place to ensure their proper accountability, therefore, cannot function as it should. The continued successful operation of the North-South bodies would be affected in such circumstances.
The two Governments are determined that the temporary suspension of the Assembly should not jeopardise the achievements of the Good Friday Agreement and, therefore, in order to protect and maintain the North-South bodies during the period of suspension, the two Governments last week signed a supplementary agreement which amends the agreements under which the North-South bodies were established.
This supplementary agreement will enable the two Governments to take decisions in relation to the North-South bodies which would ordinarily be taken by the North-South Ministerial Council. It was concluded by an exchange of letters between my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the British ambassador. The text of these letters forms a Schedule to the Bill. It is now necessary for us to give effect in domestic legislation to these agreed temporary changes in the governance of the North-South bodies and that is the purpose of the Bill.
The North-South bodies, together with the North-South Ministerial Council to which they are accountable, are a key element of what was agreed on Good Friday 1998. The Agreement is unique in that it recognises and reflects the totality of relationships in these islands, one of which is the relationship between the two parts of this island. The provisions for formal North-South co-operation contained in strand two of the Agreement are a recognition of the importance of this relationship. In the North-South Ministerial Council and the North-South bodies we at last have a forum in which the relationship can be expressed and developed.
Prior to the suspension of the Assembly the North-South Ministerial Council had met on a total of 65 occasions in a wide variety of locations across the island of Ireland. At these meetings Ministers from North and South jointly mandated formal co-operation across an agreed range of sectors, including agriculture, education, environment, health, transport and tourism.
The Council has also met four times in plenary format, twice in Dublin and twice in Armagh. These have been historic occasions. Ministers from both parts of the island have gathered around the table to discuss matters concerning the people of Ireland, North and South, and agree ways in which the two Administrations can work together for the benefit of all. The Government looks forward to renewed engagement with our Unionist and Nationalist ministerial colleagues in the North-South Ministerial Council following the restoration of the Assembly.
This formal North-South co-operation has been advanced in an open, transparent and business-like manner. All Council decisions are by agreement between the two sides. The Northern Minister participating in a meeting of the Council is always accompanied by a Minister from the other tradition. In this way, North-South co-operation, which at times has been fraught with political difficulties and characterised by fear of hidden agendas, has been able to proceed in a calm, non-controversial, almost routine fashion. I acknowledge the full and constructive role that the Ulster Unionist Ministers have played in this inclusive process.
The same could be said of the North-South bodies, which are the subject of the legislation. The work of the North-South bodies to date can be described as one of the key outworkings of the Good Friday Agreement. These six bodies represent a new direction in public administration on this island. They are statutory bodies which perform necessary public functions, not separately in either jurisdiction, but on a cross-Border and all-island basis. They are jointly funded and directed by the two Administrations on the island, acting as one, in the form of the North-South Ministerial Council.
Despite the fact that they are the result of such a genuine innovation in a potentially controversial area, the North-South bodies have attracted little controversy since their establishment in December 1999. They have set about discharging their mandates in a professional and business-like manner, to the benefit of all who avail of their services across the island. I thank the staff and board members of the North-South bodies for their work in this regard. Drawn from all traditions on the island, they have come together to work on projects which are of benefit to people, North and South alike. Such day-to-day co-operation promotes mutual understanding and serves to break down barriers between people. I commend their efforts and achievements.
The six North-South bodies are Waterways Ireland, the body responsible for maintaining the island's inland waterways and developing them for recreational use; the Food Safety Promotion Board, which is charged with raising public awareness of food safety and nutrition matters; the Trade and Business Development Body, which operates under the brand, InterTradeIreland, and which has responsibility for the development of cross-Border trade; the Special EU Programmes Body, which manages and delivers a number of EU funding programmes, including PEACE II and INTERREG; the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission, which includes The Loughs Agency, responsible for the management of Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough; and An Foras Teanga, the Language Body, which is made up of twin agencies – Foras na Gaeilge and The Ulster Scots Agency.
Together with Tourism Ireland Limited, the all-island tourism company, these North-South bodies employ almost 700 people and have a combined annual budget of approximately €140 million, of which the Government contributes approximately two thirds. With headquarters and regional offices spread throughout the island, they are engaged in major programmes of work across the wide range of sectors in which they operate.
I would like to highlight a few of the key responsibilities and achievements of the North-South bodies. Waterways Ireland is the largest employer of the six bodies, with a total staff of 350 people. Based in Enniskillen and Scariff, County Clare, it manages the island's navigable inland waterways system and is charged with the development and renovation of our rivers and canals for recreational use. A major project to upgrade the Shannon-Erne waterway, enabling cruisers to travel all the way from the top of the Erne navigation to the Shannon Estuary, has been completed by Waterways Ireland.
The Food Safety Promotion Board has its headquarters in Cork. It is responsible for the current series of television advertisements aimed at raising public awareness of the importance of healthy nutrition. The North-South trade and business development body, InterTradelreland, is making a valuable contribution to our economic development. lnterTradeIreland is located in Newry, in a purpose built headquarters which was recently opened by the Tánaiste. In discharging its responsibility for enhancing cross-Border trade on this island, the body has put in place a number of important and innovative programmes. These include North-South business graduate placement programmes and an equity network programme aimed at boosting growth in the small and medium enterprise or SME sector. I was pleased to participate in its work. Senator O'Rourke and all Ministers found the work of these bodies tremendously helpful and constructive. Their success lies in the fact that they are so businesslike. We have not heard much about them because they are simply getting on with their business.
The Special EU Programmes Body has offices in Belfast, Omagh and Monaghan. It is responsible for the management and delivery of aspects of the PEACE and INTERREG EU funding programmes to Northern Ireland and the southern Border counties. By 2006, the EU will have provided over £1.3 billion in financial support to Northern Ireland and the southern Border counties through these programmes. Part of the strategic focus of the PEACE programme is to reinforce progress towards a peaceful and stable society and to promote reconciliation. Last week, the body held the launch of the new INTERREG programme in Newry. This Bill will help to ensure that the delivery of these important programmes to projects and groups on both sides of the Border is not affected by the temporary suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The SEUPB will continue to play its important part in building peace and stability on this island.
The Loughs Agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission is responsible for the management of Foyle and Carlingford Loughs. Since its establishment almost three years ago, the agency has developed an impressive body of work. This includes initiatives to improve the management of fish stocks in the two loughs. The agency has been involved in the development of new genetic monitoring techniques for the assessment of salmon stocks, which will be of great benefit to the fisheries industry in the loughs.
The Loughs Agency has also established an advisory forum. This forum consults with representatives of shellfishing, draft and drift net fishing, fishery owners, tourism operators, environmentalists, local businesses and authorities and those working in forestry and agriculture in the areas surounding the loughs. In this way, those involved in local enterprise in all fields have an opportunity to have an input into the agency's policy decisions. In addition, the Loughs Agency has plans to engage the general public with its work and construction of a new interpretative centre at Prehen on the shores of Lough Foyle is well advanced. This centre will allow for the transmission and dissemination of information on the loughs and the work of the Loughs Agency to the general public. The centre is due to open in the near future.
An Foras Teanga, the Language Body, comprises Irish Language Agency, Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster Scots Agency. Foras na Gaeilge took over the functions of Bord na Gaeilge in promoting the Irish language with the key difference, of course, that Foras na Gaeilge operates throughout the island of Ireland. Headquartered in Dublin, foras opened a regional office in Belfast earlier this year. The Ulster Scots Agency recently launched, both in Belfast and Dublin, a series of informative leaflets on the Ulster Scots heritage in America. It has also hosted a conference of Ulster Scots organisations in County Antrim.
The seventh North-South body which comes under the direction of the North-South Ministerial Council, is the all-island tourism marketing company, Tourism Ireland Limited. Tourism Ireland is responsible for marketing the island of Ireland abroad as a single tourist destination. Like the six Implementation Bodies detailed above, Tourism Ireland operates under the direction of, and is accountable to the North-South Ministerial Council. It requires the approval of the council for its annual budget and other operational matters. Therefore, the absence of North-South Ministerial Council meetings would adversely affect the work of Tourism Ireland in the same way as it would the work of the other North-South bodies.
It is essential that Tourism Ireland be able to carry out this work which is of such great importance to the economy of this island. The temporary suspension of devolved government in Northern Ireland should in no way hinder this vital work. While Tourism Ireland is covered by the terms of the supplementary agreement, there is no necessity for it to be mentioned in the Bill before the House today. The position of Tourism Ireland is somewhat different from that of the other six North-South Bodies. It is not an implementation body covered by the 1999 British-Irish Agreement Act but a company whose two shareholders are Bord Fáilte and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
In the supplementary agreement which we signed with the British Government and which is scheduled to the Bill, Tourism Ireland is mentioned in addition to the other North-South Bodies. Provision is made for it to be accountable to the two Governments for the period during which the supplementary agreement is in force. In the case of the Irish Government, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism will act on its behalf in this regard.
The work of the North-South bodies, of which I have here given only a few brief examples, is vital to the economic and social progress of this island. We are determined that this work be able to continue uninterrupted. As the Taoiseach said recently, the ultimate prize before us is peace and stability on this island. Our best hope of attaining this prize lies in full and honest engagement on all the issues which confront us now.
Over the past week, this crucial engagement has taken place on a number of levels. The round table talks which began in Belfast last week are to be reconvened for a second session later today. Last Friday, the Taoiseach attended, in Scotland, a summit level meeting of the British-Irish Council. Yesterday, Senator Maurice Hayes chaired a meeting of the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation. The forum provided a valuable opportunity for the sharing of views and concerns with regard to developments in Northern Ireland and the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. It proved a constructive complement to other discussions currently taking place.
Such comprehensive engagement will be vital in the rebuilding of trust and confidence between the parties. The Government is committed to doing everything within its power to assist in this process. We wish to see the institutions restored as soon as possible. It is our role now, working closely with the British Government and the parties, to do all we can in this regard while also ensuring that we can press ahead with the full implementation of all outstanding aspects of the agreement.
During the current difficulties, it is crucial that we do not lose faith in the transforming power of the Good Friday Agreement. Formed around the principles of equality and mutual respect, it has given the people of Northern Ireland an unprecedented chance to live in peace and stability. It remains the template for political progress in Northern Ireland and its full and rapid implementation is our goal. In the meantime, we must also make the necessary provisions to ensure the continued successful operation of the North-South bodies, pending the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly. These provisions are contained in the Bill and I commend it to the House.