Institutional Meetings
In addition to Sectoral and Plenary Formats, the NSMC also meets in Institutional Format, with the Northern Ireland Administration represented by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and the Irish Government represented by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In this format, the NSMC considers institutional and cross-sectoral issues, including in relation to the EU, and endeavours to resolve disagreements and difficulties in the operations of the NSMC.
The Council has met once in Institutional Format, on 17 December 2001 in Parliament Buildings, Belfast. At this meeting, the Northern Ireland Administration was represented by the First Minister, the Rt. Hon. David Trimble, MP, MLA and the Deputy First Minister, Mr. Mark Durkan MLA. The Irish Government was represented by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Brian Cowen, TD.
This first meeting in Institutional Format provided a useful opportunity to take stock of the functioning of the Council in its first two years of operation. At the meeting, the NSMC addressed the following issues:
- Transport Sectoral Arrangements
The Council recognised that it has not been possible to hold more than one meeting in the Transport Sector. It agreed, however, that the officials from both Administrations and the Joint Secretariat should explore the possibility of the next Sectoral Meeting on Transport concentrating on road safety issues, an area for which the Northern Ireland Minister of the Environment has responsibility. - Lights Agency
The Council noted the work undertaken and the complexities that have arisen in terms of pursuing a transfer of the existing functions of the Commissioners of Irish Lights to the Lights Agency. It agreed that officials should review the matter further and offer advice to the next meeting of the Council in Institutional Format. - North South Cooperation outside the current Programme of Work of the NSMC
The Council considered a paper outlining current areas of co-operation between Departments and Agencies in both Administrations that do not come within the current programme of work of the NSMC. The Council agreed that officials from both Departments and the Joint Secretariat should consider areas of co-operation further and offer advice to the Council at its next meeting in Sectoral Format. - Cross Sectoral Issues
The Council acknowledged progress to date in relation to issues of a cross-sectoral nature affecting the six North/South Bodies and Tourism Ireland, which were established under the Agreement. These included areas such as accountability, reporting and financial arrangements, including pension schemes and audits and freedom of information. - Budgetary Provisions for North/South Bodies
The NSMC recommended the budgetary provisions for 2002 and the contributions from the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government for the North/South Bodies, including Tourism Ireland. - European Union Issues
The Agreement provides that the Council is to consider the European dimension of relevant matters, including implementation of EU policies and programmes and proposals under consideration in the EU framework. Ministers had a preliminary and helpful exchange of views on how arrangements giving effect to this might be developed, noting the respective roles of the NI administration and the Council in the development of EU issues. The Council agreed that further work should be undertaken to consider the most effective way of pursuing its role under the Agreement in regard to the EU dimension. It agreed to establish a Working Group for this purpose, which would report back to the next meeting of the Council in Institutional Format. - Consultative Forum
Ministers noted the work undertaken by a Working Group of officials from both Administrations set up following the Plenary Meeting of NSMC in Dublin on 26 September 2000 to undertake a study which would give effect to the provision in paragraph 19 of Strand 2 of the Agreement. The Council agreed that the Independent Consultative Forum should be based on a formal interaction between structures representative of civil society in Northern Ireland and the South.
It also agreed that the Working Group should consult with the Northern Ireland Civic Forum and the Social Partners participating in the Central Review Mechanism of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness with a view to bringing forward detailed proposals for consideration at the next meeting of the Council in Plenary format in May. - Publication of First Annual Report of the North/South Ministerial Council
After the Council meeting, Ministers launched the first Annual Report of the North/South Ministerial Council. The Report contains a commentary on the operation of the Council and the North/South Bodies during their first year of existence and underlines, in tangible terms, the potential across many sectors of co-operation for the benefit of all the people throughout the island. (The report is in PDF format - a free Reader is available for download http://www.nics.gov.uk/acrobat/)