Plenary Joint Communiqué 10 June 2011

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NORTH SOUTH MINISTERIAL COUNCIL

TWELFTH PLENARY MEETING

FARMLEIGH HOUSE, DUBLIN

10 JUNE 2011

JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ

1. The twelfth Plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) was held at Farmleigh House, Dublin on 10 June 2011.

2. The Irish Government was led by the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD.  The Northern Ireland Executive was led by First Minister, Peter Robinson MLA and the deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MP MLA. A full list of the members of both delegations is attached as an Annex. The Taoiseach chaired the meeting.

3. The meeting provided the new Irish Government and new Northern Ireland Executive with the opportunity to meet for the first time and exchange views on a range of issues of mutual interest and concern. In their opening discussion Ministers discussed a variety of common challenges and they shared views on the economy, fiscal issues, the banks and NAMA. With constraints on budgets in both jurisdictions the advantages of practical co-operation and the need to identify potential cost savings through working together  were recognised. . Ongoing discussions on this between Finance Ministers will continue and they will report to the next Plenary Meeting in November 2011.

4. Ministers welcomed increasing collaboration in the field of innovation within the European Union and noted that a Conference on Innovation aimed at increasing collaboration in the European Framework Programmes will be held in Belfast on 30 June 2011, with attendance by Ministers from both jurisdictions, and noted that such collaboration can lead to tangible mutual benefits.

5. The Council welcomed the confirmation of support in both jurisdictions for the development of a satellite radiotherapy service at Altnagelvin.

JOINT SECRETARIES’ PROGRESS REPORT

6. Ministers noted the Progress Report on the NSMC meetings held since May 2007.

7. Ministers also noted the mutually beneficial co-operation that is being taken forward by the North South Implementation Bodies, Tourism Ireland and in the other NSMC areas for co-operation including that:

8. Ministers noted that the Boards of the North South Implementation Bodies and Tourism Ireland are due for renewal in December 2011 and that nominations for appointment will be brought forward for approval at the NSMC Plenary meeting in November 2011.

PROGRESS ON A5 and A8 PROJECTS

9. Ministers noted the progress to date on the A5 (North West Gateway to Aughnacloy) and A8 (Belfast to Larne) projects and agreed that payment of £11m will be made by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to the N.I. Consolidated Fund.  The Council welcomed the continued commitment by the Irish Government to the funding of these projects, and agreed to consider a further progress report at the next NSMC Plenary meeting.

ST. ANDREWS AGREEMENT REVIEW

10. Ministers noted proposals relating to Terms of Reference 1 and prepared by the St Andrews Agreement Review Group arising from consultation on recommendations in a report prepared by experts/advisers to the Review Group. They agreed that these will be forwarded, along with a copy of the report, for consideration by Ministers in the new Executive and Irish Government with responsibilities for North South Bodies and Finance Ministers and that, taking account of these considerations, the NSMC Joint Secretariat will make recommendations to finalise this element of the Review at the NSMC Plenary meeting in November 2011.  They further agreed that Terms of Reference 2 and 3 of the St Andrews Review will be discussed also at that meeting.

NORTH SOUTH CONSULTATIVE FORUM

11. Ministers noted the background and recent developments on the North South Consultative Forum and agreed to finalise deliberations on this issue at its plenary meeting in November 2011.

NORTH SOUTH PARLIAMENTARY FORUM

12. Ministers noted that following a North South Parliamentary Forum conference held in Newcastle on 7/8 October 2010, the Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann and the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly asked the Working Groups established in each institution to take forward discussions on the potential of the North South Parliamentary Forum. They also asked the Working Groups to discuss a further conference, an inaugural meeting, and other ideas suggested at the conference and to work jointly, taking into account the valuable contribution which the conference has made to a better understanding of key issues of interest and concern to members of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Houses of the Oireachtas.  Ministers further noted the intention of the Ceann Comhairle and the Speaker to hold a joint meeting of the Working Groups in Dublin on 23 June 2011.

CROSS BORDER MOBILITY ISSUES

13. Ministers noted that the NSMC Joint Secretariat has taken forward further work on a range of cross-border mobility issues and that a bid for further funding will be made to INTERREG IVA for the Border People website. This bid which has support in principle from the Social Security Agency, the Department of Social Protection and the NSMC Joint Secretariat will include a bid for funding for a network of advisors, from within existing organisations, to deal with complex cross-border welfare and taxation issues.

FUTURE NSMC MEETINGS

14. Ministers approved a schedule of NSMC meetings proposed by the Joint Secretariat, noting that the NSMC Joint Secretariat, in consultation with relevant Departments, will make arrangements for specific dates for each of these meetings.  They noted that future NSMC Plenary meetings will be held on the second week of June and the third week in November.

Joint Secretariat
10 June 2011

ANNEX A

MEETING OF THE NORTH SOUTH MINISTERIAL COUNCIL

FARMLEIGH, DUBLIN – 10 JUNE 2011