Sectoral Meetings
The NSMC meets regularly in relation to each of the 12 Sectors. In six of these Sectors, co-operation is taken forward by means of the new North/South Bodies and in the six Areas of Co-operation by means of existing mechanism in each jurisdiction separately, generally through appropriate Government Departments or Agencies.
At these Sectoral Meetings of the NSMC, the Irish Government is represented by the Minister or the Minister of State responsible for that Sector, while the Northern Ireland Administration is represented by two Ministers nominated by the First Minster and Deputy First Minister on a cross-community basis, one normally being the Minister with responsibility for that Area within the Executive. This is in line with the requirements of the Agreement and the Northern Ireland Act 1998 that participation by the Executive in the NSMC must be on a cross-community basis.
By the end of November 2002, a total of 60 Sectoral Meetings had taken place. After each Sectoral meeting, the Council issues a Joint Communiqué to inform the media and the general public about what was discussed and agreed at the meeting.