Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 October 2007
312 Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the work of the North-South unit in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22596/07]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department and its agencies are aware of the critical importance that the Government attaches to progressing mutually beneficial North/South projects. The North/South Policy Unit of my Department is charged with co-ordinating the Department's work on North/South policy issues. The North/South Policy Unit is also a liaison unit for the Department's interactions with InterTradeIreland, the all-island trade and business development body established under the Good Friday Agreement. InterTradeIreland's statutory remit is to exchange information and co-ordinate work on supporting trade, business development and related matters in an all-island context. My Department and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland, which is a co-sponsor of InterTradeIreland, liaise regularly on policy issues, new initiatives and other matters of mutual interest.
InterTradeIreland has initiated a broad range of projects to address areas such as technology transfer, collaborative research and development, sales and marketing, and business capability improvement. In the past three years InterTradeIreland has created and supported more than 20 all-island networks, all built on the principle of generating value through collaboration, and all delivering value. InterTradeIreland has also been at the forefront of developing innovative resources in response to the opportunities of the modern knowledge economy, such as the ExpertiseIreland research portal, which involves a partnership with the nine universities on the island of Ireland and the higher education sector.
The Comprehensive Study on the All-Island Economy, which was published last year, identifies collaborative actions where they are cost effective and deliver joint benefits to address the competitive challenges facing both parts of the island and the economic problems that persist as a result of the border. A range of initiatives are underway to implement its proposals in areas such as Labour Market Skills, Research and Innovation, Trade and Investment Promotion.
The National Development Plan 2007-2013 sets out in detail a range of current and planned initiatives for North/South co-operation. For the first time, the Plan also contains proposals for significant Irish Government investment in North/South projects and initiatives for mutual benefit. These projects and initiatives will benefit the entire island of Ireland.
Following the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive, the fifth plenary meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council was held in Armagh on 17 July, 2007. This was a very significant occasion given that it was the first plenary meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council since 2002. We now have the opportunity to progress a range of significant issues that will lead to a more dynamic and prosperous economy across the island of Ireland.
On 12 September, I joined Northern Ireland Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Nigel Dodds, in Derry to attend the opening of the North-West Business Complex, which forms part of the North-West Business and Technology Zone. This joint initiative between IDA Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland is receiving substantial funding from INTERREG IIIA to develop a world-class environment for technology-oriented enterprises in Letterkenny and Derry. I look forward to working with Minister Dodds under the auspices of the restored institutions established under the Good Friday Agreement to jointly take forward pragmatic initiatives that will advance co-operation for mutual benefit. Arrangements are currently being made to hold our first North/South Ministerial Council meeting on the Trade and Business Development Sector.
