Vol. 488 No. 4
31 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the study, if any, completed on the system operated by the Social Security Agency in Northern Ireland; and whether there are aspects of the system in Northern Ireland which could be adopted to improve the system in the Republic of Ireland. [6320/98]
I would also refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 17 of today which addresses issues raised in my meeting with Mr. Tony Worthington MP, whose responsibilities include that of the Department of Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland.
One of the main outcomes of the further development of relations between my Department and its Northern Irish counterpart will be increased exchanges at official level on both policy and operational matters. My Department has comprehensive information on the social security system in Northern Ireland and in the United Kingdom as a whole and this is taken into account in developing policy here. I am keen however, that officials of both Departments discuss and evaluate how various policies and administrative priorities and procedures operate in practice, through direct exchanges between them. This will be particularly beneficial and I am confident that as a result of the increased co-operation set in train following my meeting with the Minister Mr. Worthington, that this will take place to a much greater extent in the future.
