Environment JC 15 June 2001
Environment Sector
Droman, Co Louth, Friday 15th June 2001
Joint Communiqué
1. The fourth meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in its Environment Sectoral Format was held in the Carrickdale Hotel, Dromad, Co Louth on Friday 15 June 2001. The Irish Government was represented by Mr Dan Wallace, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government who chaired the meeting. The Northern Ireland Executive was represented by Mr Sam Foster, MLA, Minister of the Environment, and Mr Mark Durkan MLA, Minister of Finance and Personnel.
2. Both sides underlined the importance of the role of the Council in supporting co-operation in this important sector and looked forward to continued development for mutual benefit.
Working Group on Water Quality
3. The Working Group on Water Quality was established following the first meeting of the NSMC (Environment) in Belfast on 28 June 2000. The Working Group comprises officials of the Department of Environment and the Environment and Heritage Service (North), and the Department of Environment and the Local Government and Environmental Protection Agency (South).
The Working Group has been considering matters relating to
- water quality strategies for the Erne and catchments; and
- implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive.
A primary objective of the Water Framework Directive is to harmonise approaches to water management across EU member states. For the purposes of the Directive the island of Ireland is identified as a single eco-region. The Working Group on Water Quality has been examining a number of technical issues related to the creation of conditions which will allow harmonised water management, including the delineation of International River Basin Districts.
At today's meeting the NSMC endorsed a number of principles relating to the development of proposals for the delineation of International River Basin Districts in Ireland.
The Council also endorsed the work undertaken to date and agreed that the Council should be advised of progress of the Working Group.
Joint Register of Current Environmental Research Projects
4. The NSMC received a report on the current position on the development of a Joint Register of Environmental Research Projects.
The Council noted the outcome of the tendering process for a jointly funded contract to develop an interactive website of current environmental research and agreed that the Environment and Heritage Service and the Environmental Protection Agency make an offer of contract to Infinet Design, Belfast.
The Council looked forward to viewing a prototype of the website in the near future.
New Technologies for Monitoring the Aquatic Environment
5. At today's meeting the NSMC was updated on the already substantial co-operation on new technologies and monitoring issues on remote sensing, fish stock assessment and in situ monitoring.
They noted the work to date of the Technical Advisory Group which was set up to assist with the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and welcomed the progress in the development of co-operation in this area.
The Council also noted the long-term nature of this programme and agreed that further progress reports should be provided to NSMC as significant developments occur.
Development of Environmental Databases
6. At the third meeting of the NSMC (Environment) in Fermanagh on 23 February 2001 the Council agreed that co-operation on Environmental Databases should begin with agreement on a suitable framework(s) for a register of environmental data sources and then plan to populate the register through a phased approach.
Ministers noted the proposal to begin to gather the information to test the compatibility of the two formats.
They also welcomed the planned work on a sample cross-border area for comparison of the respective land cover maps and looked forward to reviewing the results in the future.
Co-Operation on Environmental Impacts of Agriculture
7. The Council noted and approved the approach that will be used in a scoping study on developing co-operation in respect of nutrient management planning in agriculture and controls on the cross-border management/movement of slurries.
This will be
- conducted as a six month desk analysis.
- carried out by two postgraduate students, one from each jurisdiction, under senior professional supervision arranged by the respective agricultural authorities.
- under the overall direction of a Steering Group on which the relevant Environment and Agriculture Departments and Agencies will be represented. The Steering Group will be co-chaired by the two Environment Departments.
Waste Recycling
8. The Council agreed that there is scope for a co-operative approach to the development of markets for secondary materials and recyclates on the island and that officials should work together to bring forward formal proposals for a structured approach to the establishment of a joint Market Development Programme.
They also agreed that future work would be informed by an examination of successful recycling and market development initiatives elsewhere.
The Council agreed that officials should give consideration to a cross-border proposal to encourage community based recycling.
They also noted the success of the recovery scheme for farm plastics operated by the Irish Farm Films Producers' Group in the South and that the Department of the Environment, in discussion with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, would consider the desirability of a complementary initiative in the North.
Date of Next Meeting
The Council agreed that the next meeting in this sectoral format will take place in the North in October 2001.
Joint Secretariat
15 June 2001