The First Minister has accused the Democratic Unionist Party of attempting to hide its involvement in cross-Border co-operation.
Mr David Trimble, the leader of the UUP, was speaking after giving details to the Assembly of the first meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council to consider cross-sectoral matters, including the EU.
Mr Maurice Morrow of the DUP, a former Minister for Social Development, attacked any moves to increase the influence of the ministerial council and claimed that increasing its sphere of influence would be a further drain on scarce resources.
"Is Mr Trimble now telling us today that there is going to be a further expenditure and expansion of this unaccountable quango?" he asked. "Does he not agree with me that the monies that are spent in this area would be much better spent in Craigavon Area Hospital in his Upper Bann constituency where patients can't get medical care?"
Mr Trimble accused Mr Morrow of introducing "a farrago of nonsense" under the guise of a question. "He knows better, having himself been in a ministerial post. He knows about the existing co-operation arrangements that have been going on for some time."
Mr Trimble said close co-operation was taking place between the Democratic Unionist-run Department of Social Development and its counterpart in the Republic.
"Here we have the former minister introducing by way of a question a whole lot of attempts to make prejudicial comment. In fact what he is doing is to try to continue to cover up what he and his colleagues have been up to," he said.
The Deputy First Minister, Mr Mark Durkan, said the budget for North-South bodies for 2002 was £54.37 million sterling, or €92.07 million. Tourism Ireland Ltd, the cross-Border company established to promote Ireland as a single tourist destination, would have a budget of £26.78million sterling, or €45.33million, he said.
Mr Durkan also said work had begun on establishing a cross-Border consultative forum. He said this would spring from the North's Civic Forum as well as the social partners in the Republic.