Bernard Allen
Ceist:300 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of meetings he has had with his Northern counterpart, Minister de Brún; and the topics discussed at these meetings. [3201/00]
Written Answers. - Ministerial Meetings.
I had the pleasure of meeting my counterpart Minister Bairbre de Brún, on the occasion of the first meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in health sectoral format on Friday, 4 February in Belfast.
At this meeting we discussed the current position in relation to the implementation body, the Food Safety Promotion Board, of which the membership and the interim management arrangements were agreed at the inaugural North South Ministerial Council meeting on 13 December 1999.
We also discussed the health issues which were agreed, in accordance with paragraphs 8 and 9(i) of strand two of the Good Friday Agreement, for co-operation through the mechanism of existing bodies in each jurisdiction. These are accident and emergency planning, co-operation on high technology equipment, cancer research and health promotion.