The following is the joint communique issued yesterday:
1 THE inaugural plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council was held in Armagh on December 13th, 1999.
2 THE Northern Ireland Executive Committee delegation was led by the Rt Hon David Trimble, MP, MLA, First Minister, and Mr Seamus Mallon, MP, MLA, Deputy First Minister, who acted as Joint Chairmen for the meeting. The Irish Government delegation was led by the Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern, TD. A full list of the members of both delegations is set out in the attached Annex A.
3 BOTH sides in the Council acknowledged the importance of the occasion as a significant further step in the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. They looked forward to the role that the Council could play in developing consultation, co-operation and action within the island of Ireland - including through implementation on an all-island and cross-border basis - on matters of mutual interest within the competence of the administrations, North and South. They agreed that there was very real potential for mutual benefit in many sectors and they looked forward to realising that potential in the Council in the period ahead.
4 BOTH sides also agreed, recalling the commitment in the Good Friday Agreement to the principles of partnership, equality and mutual respect as the basis of relationships between North and South, that the Council should play a central role in promoting reconciliation within, and in ensuring a better future for all the people on the island. They noted that the meeting was taking place at the start of a week which would see further significant developments, with inaugural summit meetings of the British-Irish Council and the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference scheduled to take place in London on December 17th.
Memorandum of Procedure
5 THE Council agreed a Memorandum of Procedure, which sets out procedural arrangements relating to the proceedings and operation of the Council.
North/South Implementation Bodies
6 THE Council agreed on the locations of the headquarters and other offices of the six Implementation Bodies and of the Tourism company, when established. These are set out in the attached Annex A.
7 THE Council also made appointments of members of the Management Boards of the Trade and Business Development Body, the North/South Language Body and the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission and the Advisory Board to the Food Safety Body. The names of the members will be made available separately.
Areas for Co-operation
8 THE Council agreed an outline programme of work in regard to the areas for co-operation identified in the December 18th 1998 statement, as a basis for follow-up in the appropriate sectoral formats.
9 THE Council also agreed that the relevant proposals in the outline programme of work should be tabled at the first meetings of the Council in each appropriate sectoral format.
Future Work Arrangements, Programme and Meetings of the Council 10
10. The Council considered its approach to future work arrangements, programme and meetings. It agreed that the Council would meet in sectoral format to consider issues relating to:
Implementation Bodies
- Waterways Ireland
- Food Safety Promotion Board
- Special EU Programmes
- North/South Language Body
- Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission
- Trade and Business Development Body
Matters for Co-Operation
- Transport
- Agriculture
- Education
- Health
- Environment
- Tourism
11 In view of the need urgently to take forward certain matters in relation to the Implementation Bodies, and Areas for Co-operation, the Council agreed that particular priority be given to meetings of the Council relevant to those issues and that these would take place at the earliest possible date. It agreed also that the question of additional sectoral formats will be agreed by the Council meeting in Institutional format.
12 The Council recorded its gratitude to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Armagh and to Armagh District Council for the excellent arrangements which had been made for the holding of the meeting. It agreed that its next meeting in plenary form will take place in Dublin during June 2000.