Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

May I suggest, subject to the agreement of members, that the committee formally brings this proposal to the attention of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, who was present this morning so he will be interested in the follow up meeting that the delegates are attending?

We can ask the Minister to contact both Mr. Stephen Farry and Mr. John O'Dowd in relation to the delegates' proposals. Let us start the conversation because if one looks at what is happening on a cross-Border basis in regard to health, between Altnagelvin and Letterkenny hospitals and also the Belfast and Dublin hospitals in relation to paediatric and cardiology services, there is an awful lot of pragmatic practical engagement going on at a health level and there is no reason it cannot happen at an education level. Subject to the agreement of committee members we will write to the Minister for Education and Skills, bringing this issue to his attention and he can communicate directly with both Ministers in Northern Ireland.