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North-South Implementation Bodies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 October 2013

Tuesday, 1 October 2013

Questions (158)

Joe McHugh

Question:

158. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the formal mechanisms that are in place for facilitating formal engagements between local authority managers and their equivalent counterparts in Northern Ireland; if there is a strategic planning unit in the North-South Ministerial Council to consider integrated joined-up thinking in education, transport, and public health provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40799/13]

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Written answers

I am informed by my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, that formal engagement takes place between the County and City Managers’ Association (CCMA) and their counterparts in Northern Ireland through SOLACE. Managers in border counties also liaise with their counterparts in neighbouring counties in Northern Ireland. A formal arrangement exists between Louth local authorities and Newry and Mourne District Council. In March 2011, the local authorities from Newry and Mourne District Council, Louth County Council, Drogheda Borough Council, Dundalk Town Council and Ardee Town Council signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in a number of thematic areas including: emergency planning, renewable energy and green technology, tourism and recreation, sustainable economic growth and job creation.

The North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) was established under the Good Friday Agreement to develop consultation, co-operation and action within the island of Ireland - including through implementation on an all-island and cross-border basis - on matters of mutual interest and within the competence of the Administrations, North and South. Education, transport, and health are among the Areas of Cooperation in which common policies and approaches are agreed by our Ministers and their colleagues from the Northern Ireland Executive in the North South Ministerial Council at Sectoral, Institutional and Plenary meetings which are then implemented separately in each jurisdiction. While the Joint Secretariat in Armagh, jointly-staffed by civil servants from both administrators, supports and facilitates the Council, it is not mandated to have a specific unit of the type envisaged by the Deputy. Instead, the relevant Departments in both jurisdictions co-operate closely. I understand that this co-operation between Departments involves engagement as appropriate with regional authorities and local stakeholders on both sides of the border.

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