Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 8, inclusive, together.

I chaired the 12th meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council in Farmleigh House on Friday, 10 June last. It was the first occasion for this Government to meet collectively with the newly appointed members of the Northern Ireland Executive since the recent Northern Ireland Assembly elections. At the outset, I joined the Northern Ireland First Minister, Mr. Peter Robinson, and deputy First Minister, Mr. Martin McGuinness, in paying tribute to former Minister for Finance, Mr. Brian Lenihan, who had sadly passed away that morning.

During the course of the meeting, I highlighted the commitment of this Government, and my commitment, to North-South co-operation and all-island economic co-operation. I encouraged Ministers to exchange contact details with their Northern counterparts and to keep in regular contact on matters pertinent to North-South co-operation. We had a broad-ranging economic discussion with each administration outlining the main challenges being faced. My Ministers and I outlined the measures the Government is taking to tackle the debt problem and promote jobs and skills to tackle unemployment. We discussed the importance of innovation, research and development to economic recovery on this island. Given the budgetary constraints within which we operate, we stressed that it makes good practical sense to continue to explore areas where efficiencies and economies can be achieved by working together North and South.

I welcomed the recent confirmation by the Minister, Mr. Poots that the satellite radiotherapy facility at Altnagelvin Hospital is to proceed as planned. I confirmed the Government's strong support for the facility, which will take one third of its patients from County Donegal. Altnagelvin is an excellent example of the potential to achieve economies of scale by investing together North and South. We also discussed progress made on the A5 north-west gateway to Aughnacloy and A8 Belfast to Larne roads projects. It was agreed that the Irish Government will pay the next round of funding of €11 million towards the roads project. We reiterated the Government's commitment to these projects, which are essential for the development of the entire island. It was also proposed that a technical working group be established to examine how the projects can be delivered to the required standard at a reduced cost.

On the issue of the St. Andrews Agreement review group, we agreed to forward the recommendations prepared by experts and advisers to the review group for consideration by Ministers in the new Executive and Irish Government. This element of the review under Terms of Reference 1 will be finalised at the November plenary when we will also discuss Terms of Reference 2 and 3 of the St. Andrews review.

On the establishment of the North-South Parliamentary Forum, we noted the successful conference that had taken place in October of last year and the intention of the Ceann Comhairle and the Speaker of the Assembly to hold a joint meeting of the working groups in Dublin on 23 June.

On the establishment of the North-South Consultative Forum, we agreed to finalise deliberations on this issue at our next plenary which will take place in November of this year. In addition, there was a full discussion of progress across a range of areas of North-South co-operation including good progress on road safety; co-operation on innovation, energy, tourism, higher education, the environment and trade and business; and the work of North-South bodies, particularly as it relates to fostering economic recovery across the island. We also approved a schedule of future North-South Ministerial Council sectoral meetings which will take place before the end of this year.

I met again with the Northern Ireland First Minister and Deputy First Minister along with ministers from the Executive and the political leaders from across these islands at the 16th summit meeting of the British-Irish Council in London yesterday.

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