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Environment JC 28 June 2000

North/South Ministerial Council

Environment Sector

Interpoint, Belfast, Wednesday 28 June 2000

Joint Communiqué

1.  A meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council in Sectoral format was held in Interpoint, Belfast on 28th June 2000 to discuss enhanced co-operation in environmental matters.
2.  The Northern Ireland Executive Committee delegation comprised Mr Sam Foster, MLA, Minister for the Environment and Ms Bairbre de Brún, MLA, Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. The Irish Government was represented by Mr Noel Dempsey, TD, Minister for the Environment and Local Government.
3.  Both sides acknowledged the significance of the occasion of the first meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council in the Environment Sector.
4.  The Council reviewed the high level of existing co-operation between the two Departments on environmental issues and discussed the matters for enhanced co-operation which were mandated by the Inaugural Plenary of the North/South Ministerial Council in Armagh on 13 December 1999 (see attached marked Appendix F).
5.  Both sides underlined the important contributions already being made to the care of the environment by the Environment Departments and agencies involved and by the various co-operative arrangements already in place. They looked forward to further significant progress arising from their co-operation in the Council.
6.  The Council agreed that Environmental Research and Water Quality Management should be selected as the first two areas for co-operation. Under research the Council-
  • approved the establishment of a joint register of current research projects; and
  • agreed that officials should work together to identify new technologies for monitoring.
Noting the current co-operation on matters relating to water quality, the Council also approved the establishment of a Working Group of officials to consider matters relating to -
  • water quality strategies in relation to the Erne and catchments; and
  • implementation of the proposed EU Water Framework Directive.

Date of Next Meetings

7.  Ministers agreed that the next meeting would take place in October in the South.
Joint Secretariat
28 June 2000

APPENDIX F

PROPOSED NORTH/SOUTH CO-OPERATION ON ENVIRONMENT

Research into Environment Protection

  • Information on environmental research activities North and South, information on best practice and resources of information
  • The establishment of a data base of environmental information
  • Current problems and issues in relation to environmental protection and mutually beneficial ways to address these
  • Identification of strategies and activities which would contribute to a coherent all-island approach to the achievement of sustainable development

Water Quality Management and Waste Management in a Cross-Border Context

  • The development of catchment-based strategies in relation to water quality
  • The environmental impact of agricultural activities and related issues
  • The scope for improved waste management in a cross-border context taking account of waste policy in the EU, the UK and ROI.
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