Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 23, inclusive, together.

Together with my ministerial colleagues, I met with First Minister Peter Robinson, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and their colleagues at the seventh plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council in Magee College, Derry on Friday, 23 January.

We had a very wide-ranging and practical discussion with a focus on how we can work together to face the challenges that confront us, including the economic challenges and the need for continuing practical and mutually beneficial North-South co-operation which can assist both Administrations in our efforts to deal with the economic downturn.

The council noted the key developments in the North-South Ministerial Council through the 14 sectoral meetings held since the last plenary meeting in Dundalk last February and welcomed the co-operation taken forward at those meetings. We also had an opportunity to discuss the excellent examples of projects being taken forward in the north west through the north-west gateway initiative, where there is significant co-operation on road infrastructure, airports, skills and training, higher education and spatial planning. Agencies such as the IDA, Invest NI, Tourism Ireland and InterTrade Ireland are working closely together on inward investment, tourism and cross-Border trade.

We noted progress on the North-South parliamentary forum and the agreement to establish two working groups to develop proposals for such a body as well as the Irish Government's proposals on the role, format, membership and operation of a North-South consultative forum and the progress made on the review of the civic forum in Northern Ireland.

I would like to commend the First Minister and Deputy First Minister on reaching an agreement which enabled the resumption of meetings of the Northern Ireland Executive. It is clear that a considerable amount of work has been done by the Northern Ireland political parties on the arrangements for the devolution of policing and justice and I believe that we can all have confidence that devolution will take place within a reasonable timeframe.

At my meetings with both the First Minister, Peter Robinson, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, on 17 October, in their parties' capacities, we had detailed discussions on the then political impasse. I also emphasised the importance of North-South co-operation and the all-island economy and the potential for developing synergies North and South, particularly at this difficult time for both economies. I stressed that progress was needed on other areas such as the North-South consultative forum, the North-South parliamentary forum and the review of the North-South bodies. I am glad to see that important progress has been made since then.

I have kept in regular contact with Prime Minister Brown over recent months on Northern Ireland and our officials continue to meet frequently. I expect to meet Prime Minister Brown at the next EU Council meeting in March.

I did receive a request to meet with representatives of the Ballymurphy Families Committee and I understand that the families recently met with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern, and they also met the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Micheál Martin on Thursday, 29 January.

With the restoration of the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland, there are no current proposals to re-convene the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation.

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