Seán Ryan
Ceist:28 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the matters discussed and conclusions reached at the North-South Ministerial Council on 22 June 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23341/01]
Written Answers. - Northern Ireland Issues.
On 22 June 2001 I attended a meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council in Derry. The Northern Ireland Executive was represented by Ms Brid Rodgers, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development and Mr. Sam Foster, Minister for the Environment.
The council considered a range of matters relating to the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission, which is one of the six implementation bodies established under the British-Irish Agreement. The commission's remit relating to fishery, aquaculture and marine tourism matters is exercised by the Loughs Agency. The main items covered by the council on 22 June were: a progress report on the work of the Loughs Agency to date on all areas of responsibility including salmon and inland fisheries, marine tourism and aquaculture and shell fisheries; approval of proposals for targeting social need and social exclusion by directing available resources towards people, groups and areas objectively defined as being in greatest social need. The Loughs Agency intends to achieve this objective through the promotion and provision of educational opportunities for schools, promotion of the agency's interpretative centre, the improvement of angling facilities in the Foyle and Carlingford areas and the development of marine tourism; a progress report on the preparation of the annual report for the year 2000, which is due for publication by the Loughs Agency in due course; a review of the Loughs Agency proposals to use independent facilitators from the successful Cross-Border Aquaculture Initiative Team established under the Special Programme for Peace and Reconciliation to draw up a co-ordinated local aquaculture management system for regulating and managing shellfisheries in the loughs; approval of proposals to engage management consultants to prepare criteria for selection of members to an advisory forum and key focus groups being established to assist the Loughs Agency in delivering on its remit. It is intended that the advisory forum and focus groups will be widely representative of stakeholders, including shell fishermen, salmon netsmen, anglers and angling clubs, fisheries owners and tourism operators; approval of additional expenditure to complete work on the new Loughs Agency headquarters in Derry; and a progress report on preparations for the transfer of the functions of the Commissioners of Irish Lights to the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission.
The council agreed to meet again in this format in this jurisdiction in the autumn period.
Question No. 29 answered with Question No. 22.