There are seven North/ Bodies in operation — Waterways Ireland, Inter TradeIreland, the Foyle Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission (Loughs Agency), the Special EU Programmes Body, the North/South Language Body (which comprises Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster Scots Agency), the Food Safety Promotion Board and Tourism Ireland Ltd.
The North/South Bodies are a significant part of the architecture of the Good Friday Agreement and they deliver important public services for the island across a range of sectors. Their work includes tourism marketing, the management of the island's canal networks, food safety promotion, the development of the Foyle and Carlingford Loughs, promotion of the Irish language and Ulster Scots, management of cross border EU funds and promotion of North/South trade and business.
The British-Irish Agreement of 1999 provides for the structure of the North/South Implementation Bodies. The legislative framework further provides that board members of the Bodies be appointed by the North South Ministerial Council and that the Council should also determine the remuneration of board members with the approval of the Finance Ministers in both jurisdictions. At a meeting of the Council in Institutional Format on 11 November 2009, it was agreed to reduce the fees payable to board members of the North/South Bodies. The fees now applicable to board members of the North/South Bodies are as follows:
Chairperson: €12,600 per annum
Vice-chairperson: €10,350 per annum
Member: €8,100 per annum.
The current board members of the North/South Bodies are as follows:
Food Safety Promotion Board (Advisory Board)
John Dardis (Chairperson)
Campbell Tweedie (Vice Chairperson)
Ken Baird
Lynn Ní Bhaoigheallain
Joe Byrne
Brian Cunningham
Aoife Healy
Susan Heraghty
Neven Maguire
Seamus Sheridan
Con Traas Jane Wells
North South Language Body Foras Na Gaeilge
Liam Ó Maoilmhichíl (Chairperson of Foras na Gaeilge/Joint Chairperson of An Foras Teanga)
Eoghan Mac Cormaic (Vice Chair)
Áine Andrews Lucilita Breathnach
Seanna Breathnach
Adelaide Nic Cárthaigh
Peter Gallagher
Máiréad Nic Giolla Mhichíl
Liam Kennedy
Norman Henry
Éamonn Kinch
Marcas Mac Ruairi
Dónal Ó Bearra
Pádhraic Ó Biadha
Diarmuid Ó Murchú
Caoilfhionn Nic Pháidín
Tha Boord O Ulstèr Scotch (Ulster Scots Agency)
John Hunter (Chairperson of Tha Boord o Ulstèr-Scotch/Joint Chairperson of North South Language Body)
Ian Adamson
Tony Crooks
Angela Graham
William Humphrey
William Leathem
Jacqui Reed
The Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission (Loughs Agency)
Tarlach O Crosain (Chairperson)
Jacqui McConville (Vice Chairperson)
Enda Bonner
Brendan Byrne
John Byrne
Denis Haughey
Alan McCulla
Joe Miller
John Mulcahy
Winston Patterson
Thomas Sloan
Jim Wilson
The Trade and Business Development Body (InterTradeIreland)
David Dobbin (Chairperson)
John Fitzgerald (Vice Chairperson)
Brendan Butler
Ray Doherty
Vincent Parker
Sean Gallagher
Jack Gilmour
Hugh Logue
Padraig MacLochlainn
Patricia McKeown
Dr Gerard O'Hare
Tom Scott
Tourism Ireland Limited
Hugh Friel (Chairperson)
Ciara Boyle (Vice-Chairperson)
Brian Ambrose
David Lyle
Robert Manson
Mandy Martin
Bill McGinnis
Howard Hastings
Moira McNamara
John Power
Shaun Quinn
Ann Riordan.
The Agreement did not provide for boards for Waterways Ireland and the Special EU Programmes Body.