Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 439: To ask the Minister for Transport the dates of each of the British-Irish Council transport sectoral group meetings since 2002; the matters discussed at each meeting; the actions arising from each meeting; the actions his Department has taken arising from such meetings; the papers and publications presented or arising from each meeting; the scheduled dates for future meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35624/05]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 440: To ask the Minister for Transport the dates of workshops organised under the British-Irish Council that involved transport issues; the matters discussed at each workshop; the actions arising from each workshop; the actions his Department has taken arising from such workshops; the papers and publications presented or arising from each workshop; the scheduled dates for future workshops; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35625/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 439 and 440 together.

Under the structures of the British-Irish Council, Northern Ireland is the lead administration for organisation and co-ordination of issues arising in the transport sector. The work of the transport group is focused on road safety and transport links between BIC members.

The BIC transport group has met on five occasions and a ministerial meeting was held in December 2000. The next meeting of officials takes place in Belfast on Friday 25 November and a ministerial meeting is scheduled to take place in February 2006.

A workshop on driving and misuse of drugs was held in London on 8 March 2004. The main purpose of the workshop was to share information about action required to deal with the problem of drug driving within BIC administrations, from the enforcement, legislative, toxicology, publicity and research perspectives. A further workshop focusing on research will be arranged in the new year.