Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 6, inclusive, together.

My most recent contacts with the British Prime Minister were on the Lisbon treaty and discussions which took place at the recent European Council meeting on which I have already reported to the House.

I last met with the Northern Ireland political parties at the eighth plenary meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council which took place yesterday at Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park. The meeting was attended by the First Minister, Peter Robinson, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, as well as a range of Government Ministers and Ministers from the Executive.

At the meeting we had positive and constructive exchanges across the full range of agenda items. We had a broad discussion of the economic challenges facing the island and our respective responses to dealing with the downturn and its impact, particularly on the banking sectors in both jurisdictions. We outlined our Government's intention to establish a National Asset Management Agency and it was agreed that there would be an early meeting of the two Finance Ministers to discuss those issues.

The council noted the contribution of continuing practical and mutually beneficial North-South co-operation to assisting both Administrations in their efforts to promote growth and employment; the contribution that the all-island economy can make and how we can work together to provide better and more efficient public services North and South.

We noted progress on the A5 and A8 roads projects and agreed procedures governing payment of the Irish Government contribution. In accordance with this, payment of €9 million will be made by the Minister for Transport to the Northern Ireland consolidated fund before the end of 2009.

The council also confirmed its intention to conclude the St. Andrew's review process before the end of 2009 and it instructed the review group to accelerate its work on all the elements of the review and to provide a final report at the next meeting of the plenary session. In addition, the meeting welcomed recent North-South co-operation on matters such as the swine flu outbreak and cross-Border arrangements for the removal of illegally dumped waste.

Overall, there have been some positive developments in Northern Ireland. I believe that the time is right to complete the process of the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Executive. I am encouraged by the comments of the First Minister that discussions on the financial arrangements to allow this are making progress.

I would also like to welcome the recent announcements made by the loyalist organisations on decommissioning. Both Governments have always been firm in our demand that all weapons on all sides should be decommissioned. We also welcome the moves that the loyalist organisations have been making in recent years to move on.

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