Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I would not put any on it.

On the North-South parliamentary forum, I understand discussions are ongoing between the Houses of the Oireachtas, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the North-South parliamentary forum. These are being led by the Ceann Comhairle and the speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, William Hay. The matter will be kept under review. The meetings the Ceann Comhairle had and the meetings we had politically with William Hay indicate that there is a great interest in working towards this. It might take some time but there is certainly a wish to move that way.

We have had further consultation with the social partners in the South on the establishment of the North-South consultative forum and following that I expect we will be in a position to send a formal proposal to the Executive in the next few weeks. I understand arrangements are being made for a review of the civic forum in the North. We will continue to engage on the matter with our Northern colleagues.

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