Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I assure Deputy Martin that I do not have any problem encouraging and instructing Ministers to engage fully with the Executive and Assembly and the different organisations and groups which may be relevant to their responsibilities in a cross-Border sense. The North-South Ministerial Council meeting held in Armagh had a genuinely good discussion of the economic challenges facing the North and South and a range of topics was discussed. The Minister for Finance dealt with the issue of the National Asset Management Agency and the banks as well as opportunities to make savings through beneficial co-operation in both directions. The Minister for Education and Skills discussed educational issues and there was a discussion about collaboration in third level education. Cross-Border energy issues were also discussed, including when it would make practical sense to do so. The importance of the agrifood sector where a great deal of activity is taking place was also discussed.

The council approved the appointment of chairpersons, vice-chairpersons and members of the boards of the North-South implementation bodies and the directors of Tourism Ireland limited. As the Deputy will be aware, the Irish Open golf tournament, with all the champions from Northern Ireland, will go North this year. We discussed developments in the north-west gateway initiative, with a view to progressing the matter during 2012 and signed off on the admittedly reduced funding for the A5 and A8 road projects. We noted also that the relevant Departments will prepare funding for a new programme for them.

I do not have any difficulty accepting Deputy Martin's recommendation, which is already being implemented, that Ministers be very active in their work with their counterparts in the Assembly and Executive. The truth of the matter is that a great deal of activity in respect of North-South dialogue is often overlooked now because it no longer has the heightened sensationalism it once had as a result of the absence of trouble, which is in everybody's interests. Normal relations are very important and the Deputy can take it that Ministers and Ministers of State, in so far as committees are concerned, will work actively with their counterparts in the North.

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