Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the action, in chronological order, she, her Department or the North South Ministerial Council have taken for North-South co-operation in relation to health care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5760/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Prior to the suspension of all Ireland Institutions in 2002, the five North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) agreed areas for North/South cooperation in relation to health care were Accident and Emergency, Health Technology, Cancer Research, Emergency Planning and Health Promotion. In the period 2002 to 2007, the Institutions continued on a care and maintenance basis and significant progress was made in the five designated areas of cooperation. Progress was also made on North/South cooperation in other areas of health such as Suicide Prevention, Pandemic Flu Planning, GP Out of Hours Services and Child Protection. Since the restoration of the Institutions in May 2007, both Health Departments have agreed to undertake a Feasibility Study on the potential for future cooperation. A Project Board representative of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, the Department of Health & Children, the Health Service Executive and Cooperation And Working Together (CAWT) has been established to oversee the Study and it is expected that a final report will be published later this year.

Since the restoration of the Executive in Northern Ireland, I have met with the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety to discuss progress on North/South cooperation in the health sector. A full NSMC Health Sector and Food Safety meeting also took place last November, when progress on North/South cooperation in health was reviewed.