Obstacles to Cross Border Mobility
You can download the Study of Obstacles to Mobility in PDF format (Adobe Reader required):
In September 2000 the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) commissioned a Study of Obstacles to Mobility between the two parts of the island of Ireland. The focus of the Study was to identify the obstacles that make it difficult for people who wish to move across the border in either direction to work, study or live.
The Study, conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Indecon, was published in February 2002 and contained 50 recommendations covering a number of key areas, eg,
- Taxation, Social Security and Pensions;
- Health Services;
- Education, Training and Employment;
- Housing;
- Telecommunications, Banking and Insurance; and
- Transport.
Significant progress has been made in implementing many of these recommendations including progress in the mutual recognition of qualifications which has resulted in the freer movement of workers on a cross-border basis including in the education and health areas; the introduction of single tariff options by a number of mobile phone operators and greater availability of public service information for people who wish to cross the border to live, work and study.
A major development has been the establishment of a dedicated Cross-Border Mobility Website which contains information which will be of interest to people who want to move across the border to live work or study. It contains helpful information on issues such as registering with a doctor or a dentist, the cost of housing, employment opportunities etc. The website has been developed by the Centre for Cross Border Studies and Delivery and Innovation Division of the Department of Finance and Personnel. A grant was received from the Special European Programmes Body under Measure 5.2 of the Peace II Programme to cover the costs of engaging a third party to develop the information side of the website. On 30 October 2007, the website www.crossbordermobility.info, was launched by the First Minister, Rt Hon Dr Ian Paisley MP MLA, deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness MP MLA, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern TD.
Ministers also agreed that the two working groups – one to explore options for going forward on the transfer of pension rights on a cross-border basis and the other to examine cross-border banking issues, including transaction charges - be set up. Both groups are to report back to a future NSMC meeting.