Tourism JC 27 October 2000

1. The first meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in the Tourism sectoral format was held in Belfast on Friday 27 October 2000. The Northern Ireland Executive was represented by Sir Reg Empey, MLA, Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, who chaired the meeting, and Dr Sean Farren, MLA, Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment. The Irish Government was represented by Dr James McDaid, T.D., Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation.

2. In their statement of 18 December 1998, the First Minister (Designate) and Deputy First Minister (Designate), following intensive negotiations and consultations involving other Assembly parties, and, as appropriate, the Irish and British Governments, announced that Tourism would be an Area for Co-operation under the North/South Ministerial Council provided for in the Belfast Agreement, and, in that context, a publicly-owned limited Company would be established by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Bord Fáilte to carry out functions aimed at promoting increased tourism to the island of Ireland.

3. The NSMC, at this first meeting in the Tourism sectoral format, agreed the draft Memorandum and Articles of Association for the proposed Tourism Company and the necessary start-up arrangements.

4. Arrangements will be put in train to register the Company as soon as possible.

5. The Council agreed that the Board of the new Company will have twelve members, including representation from Bord Fáilte Éireann, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and tourism industry interests in the North and South. The membership of the Board will be formally approved at an early meeting of the NSMC.

6. The Council agreed the arrangements for jointly funding the new Company, including a South/North funding ratio of 2:1 for the programme costs of the Company.

7. At the inaugural Plenary meeting of the NSMC on 13 December 1999 the Council agreed that the headquarters of the tourism company would be in Dublin with a regional office in Coleraine. At today's meeting, it was agreed that the Coleraine office should have responsibility for printing, publishing and distribution.

8. The NSMC approved a schedule for the establishment of the Company and expressed the wish to see the Company up and running as soon as possible. A project team of senior officials drawn from Bord Fáilte Éireann and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board is being established to take forward the initial set up arrangements for the Company with a view to a progress report being submitted to the next meeting of the NSMC in its Tourism sectoral format.

9. Arrangements for recruiting the CEO of the company were approved.

10 NSMC expressed satisfaction at the important step that has been taken towards establishing the new company. It believes that enhanced co-operation in the Tourism sector will bring significant, tangible benefits for both Northern Ireland and the South and that the company working closely with Bord Fáilte Éireann and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, will have a crucial role to play in that regard.

11. The Council agreed that the work of the NSMC in the Tourism Sectoral format had got off to a satisfactory start and both sides looked forward to working closely together in overseeing the development of the new Company.

12. The Council agreed that its next meeting in this sectoral format will take place in the South in January or February 2001.

Joint Secretariat

27 October 2000