Education

• The exchange of information and expertise on meeting educational needs
• Closer collaboration in the development of policy responses across the range of special needs
• The scope for collaboration in the provision of highly specialised services
• Areas where joint surveys or research would be beneficial in assessing needs

• The exchange of expertise and experience in catering for children who are educationally disadvantaged
• The scope for collaboration in the development of initiatives to address disadvantage
• The scope for sharing information on research into disadvantage and the scope for joint research or pilot initiatives
• Links between schools and educational organisations in both jurisdictions to facilitate co-operation on operational issues
• Specific issues relevant to both Departments such as the needs of traveller children

• Barriers to the movement of teachers between North and South at both primary and post-primary level, including the Irish language requirement, superannuation entitlements and approval of qualifications, and the scope for removing or ameliorating these
• The development of General Teaching Councils in both jurisdictions and co-operation between them, with a view to rationalising approaches to teacher qualifications
• Collaboration in teacher education in areas of mutual benefit such as training of teachers for Irish-medium education.

• A more integrated and coherent approach to exchanges, including the clarification of policy objectives, targets and common criteria for the assessment of exchanges
• The scope for the further development of exchanges in areas or sectors which have not previously participated
• Issues of concern in both jurisdictions such as child protection arrangements, measures focused on disadvantaged children and young people, evaluation and research, conflict resolution and cross-community activity
• Mechanisms for facilitating co-operation in the area of Youth Exchanges, including the need for linkages between the Youth Council for Northern Ireland and the Irish National Youth Council.