annual report 2001 NIA 9/02 CONTENTS 1. Introduction by Joint Secretaries 3 2. Chapter 1 - Background to North/South Ministerial Council 5 3. Chapter 2 - The Operation of the North/South Ministerial Council 9 4. Chapter 3 - NSMC Plenary Meeting 13 5. Chapter 4 - NSMC Institutional Meeting 17 6. Chapter 5 - NSMC Sectoral Meetings 21 7. Chapter 6 - The Joint Secretariat 43 8. Annex 1 - Attendance at Plenary Meeting 47 9. Annex 2 - Attendance at Institutional Meeting 49 10. Annex 3 - Attendance at Sectoral Meetings 51 11. Annex 4 - Financial Information 57 12. Annex 5 - Joint Secretariat Organisation Chart 59 13. Annex 6 - North/South Bodies Contact Details 61 14. Annex 7 - North/South Bodies Board Members 65 15. Annex 8 - Departmental Information 69 2 INTRODUCTION BY JOINT SECRETARIES 3 INTRODUCTION We are very pleased to present the were, therefore, increasingly in a second Annual Report of the position to undertake their full North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC). programmes of work. Sound progress This covers the NSMC’s activities for the can now be reported in all areas coming year 2001. Established under the terms within the mandate of the Council. of the Belfast Agreement of Good Friday 1998, the NSMC brings together We should like to place on record our representatives of the Northern Ireland thanks to all Ministers from both Executive and the Irish Government to jurisdictions and their officials for their develop consultation, co-operation and strong support for the Secretariat and action within the island of Ireland on their unfailing courtesy in their dealings matters of mutual interest. Our task as with us as Joint Secretaries and our Joint Secretaries, together with our staff. colleagues in the Joint Secretariat, is to support the work of the Ministers in the We look forward to the continued Council and to help ensure the smooth success of the Council and to making a and efficient conduct of its business. real difference in matters which are of tangible benefit to both parts of the In its second full year the Council has island. overseen the settling down of the North/South Bodies, with the procurement of permanent accommodation and the appointment of Chief Executives and other key personnel. During 2001, the Bodies Dr. Peter Smyth Tim O’Connor Joint Secretary (North) Joint Secretary (South) Armagh September 2002 4 CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND TO THE NORTH/SOUTH MINISTERIAL COUNCIL 5 THE NORTH/SOUTH MINISTERIAL COUNCIL 1.1 The North/South Ministerial separately (also commonly Council (NSMC) was established referred to as the Areas for Co- on Thursday 2 December 1999 on operation), and in the case of at the entry into force of the least six others by means of new British-Irish Agreement, which North/South Implementation was signed by the British and Bodies (also commonly referred to Irish Governments as part of the as the North/South Bodies) Agreement reached in the Multi- operating at a cross-border or all- Party Negotiations in Belfast on island level. Good Friday, 10 April, 1998 (“the Agreement”). The Agreement 1.3 The Agreement also provided that stipulates that the North/South the 12 Areas in question would Ministerial Council will bring be identified and agreed by the together those with executive representatives of the Northern responsibilities in Northern Ireland transitional Administration Ireland and the Irish Government and the Irish Government, in to develop consultation, co- consultation with the British operation and action within the Government as part of a work island of Ireland - including programme of the transitional through implementation on an North/South Ministerial Council. all-island and cross-border basis - on matters of mutual interest 1.4 Negotiations between the parties and within the competence of and the two Governments each Administration, North and resulted in agreement on the 12 South. The NSMC comprises Areas. The outcome of these Ministers of the Northern Ireland negotiations was set out in a Administration and the Irish Joint Statement issued by the Government, working together to First Minister (designate) and take forward co-operation Deputy First Minister (designate) between both parts of the island on 18 December 1998. to mutual benefit. 1.5 In that statement, the Six Areas AREAS OF OPERATION OF identified as those in which co- operation would be taken forward THE COUNCIL by the new North/South Bodies, were: 1.2 The Agreement provided that at least 12 subject areas would be Inland Waterways identified for co-operation and Food Safety implementation for mutual Trade and Business benefit under the aegis of the Development Council. Co-operation in these Special EU Programmes areas would be implemented in Language (Irish and Ulster- two ways - in the case of at least Scots) six of them by means of existing Aquaculture and Marine bodies in each jurisdiction Matters. 6 annual report 2001 1.6 Aspects of six other Areas were TRANSITIONAL MEETING OF identified as those in which co- operation would be taken forward NSMC by existing bodies in each 1.9 As mentioned above, the jurisdiction separately: Agreement required that the North/South Ministerial Council, Agriculture meeting in transitional form, Education should agree the areas where co- Environment operation and implementation Health would take place. Accordingly, Transport the Council met in transitional Tourism, including Tourism form on 1 December, 1999 in Ireland Limited. Belfast, at Parliament Buildings, Stormont. 1.7 In accordance with the Statement of 18 December, 1998, the British 1.10 At this meeting, the Council and Irish Governments formally confirmed the 12 Areas subsequently concluded an and the arrangements in relation Agreement on the establishment to them set out in paragraphs 1.5 of the North/South Bodies - to 1.8 above. “Agreement between the Government of Ireland and the 1.11 These 12 Areas constitute those Government of the United matters on which the Council can Kingdom of Great Britain and take decisions by agreement on Northern Ireland establishing (a) policies for implementation Implementation Bodies,” signed separately in each jurisdiction and on 8 March, 1999 (“the British- on (b) policies and actions at an Irish Agreement of 8 March, all-island and cross-border level 1999”). The British-Irish for implementation by the Agreement of 8 March, 1999 North/South Bodies. Further formally set out the functions development of these and structure of the North/South arrangements is possible by Bodies and the common agreement in the Council, and arrangements applying to them. with the specific endorsement of the Northern Ireland Assembly 1.8 The British-Irish Agreement of 8 and the Oireachtas, subject to the March, 1999 was given domestic extent of the competences and effect, North and South, by responsibilities of the two means of the North/South Co- Administrations. operation (Implementation Bodies) (Northern Ireland) Order, 1999, and the British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999, respectively. 7 8 CHAPTER 2 THE OPERATION OF THE NORTH/SOUTH MINISTERIAL COUNCIL 9 THE FORMATS OF COUNCIL MEETINGS 2.1 The NSMC meets in a number of basis, one normally being the Formats. It meets in Plenary Minister with responsibility for Format with the Northern Ireland that Sector within the Executive. Executive delegation led by the This is in line with the First Minister and Deputy First requirements of the Agreement Minister and the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Act delegation led by the Taoiseach 1998 that participation by the and the Tánaiste. The task of the Executive in the NSMC must be Plenary is to take an overview of co-operation on the island and of such as to ensure cross- the North/South institutions. The community involvement. NSMC met in Plenary Format 2.4 During 2001, a total of 22 once in 2001. This was in Dublin meetings in Sectoral Format were on 30 November. held. 2.2 The NSMC also meets in 2.5 All NSMC decisions are by Institutional Format with the agreement between the two sides Northern Ireland Executive being in the Council. represented by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and the Irish Government by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The task of FUNCTIONS OF THE the Institutional Format is to COUNCIL consider institutional and cross- sectoral issues, including in 2.6 The Council carries out a number relation to the EU and to resolve of functions in accordance with any disagreements. The first Strand Two of the Agreement. NSMC meeting in Institutional These were set out in the Format took place in Belfast on Agreement, as follows: 17 December 2001. • To exchange information, discuss 2.3 The NSMC meets in Sectoral and consult with a view to co- Format to oversee co-operation in operation on matters of mutual the agreed 12 Areas or Sectors, as interest within the competence of described in Chapter 1. The both Administrations, North and NSMC meets in relation to these South; sectors a number of times each year. At these meetings, the Irish • To use best endeavours to reach Government side is represented by agreement on the adoption of common policies, in areas where the Minister responsible for that there is a mutual cross-border Sector, while the Northern Ireland and all-island benefit, and which Administration is represented by are within the competence of two Ministers nominated by the both Administrations, North and First Minister and Deputy First South, making determined efforts Minister on a cross-community to overcome any disagreements; 10 annual report 2001 • To take decisions by agreement 2.9 In regard to three of the Bodies, on policies for implementation InterTradeIreland, the separately in each jurisdiction, in North/South Language Body and relevant meaningful areas within the FCILC, the functions of each the competence of both Body are exercised by a Board Administrations, North and appointed by the NSMC.