Junior Ministers from the Northern Executive Gerry Kelly of Sinn Féin and Ian Paisley jnr of the DUP made a surprise visit to Dublin yesterday for a keynote address to an all-Ireland conference on infrastructure.
The Ministers, who joked they had "half a speech each" on the North's €27 billion, 10-year infrastructure investment programme, were joined on the platform by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey. Mr Dempsey spoke on the investment needs of an all-island economy.
Participation of the Northern Ministers in the conference - which heard that more than €200 million would be invested in infrastructure North and South over the coming decade - was kept a tightly guarded secret, with neither man's name appearing in advance publicity.
In his comments, Mr Paisley said the Northern Executive was "fully conscious of the potential benefits to be gained" from North/South co-operation in "more efficient planning and joined up delivery of key projects". He instanced new cross-Border roads resulting in increased safety and reduced journey times and remarked that "more benefits would become a reality as our investment plans unfold".
He said the people of Northern Ireland would be the judge of their ultimate success and he agreed with Mr Kelly that the "very strong working class roots of the Northern Executive members was "a strong reminder of what we are about".
In his address to the conference, Mr Kelly told the conference there was "no conflict" between Northern Ministers "but a common agreement on economic and social equality".
