Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the action, in chronological order, he, his Department or the North South Ministerial Council has taken for North-South co-operation in relation to inland waterways; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5756/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Waterways Ireland was set up in December 1999 under the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999 to manage the inland navigable waterways, primarily for recreational purposes. Waterways Ireland has responsibility for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of the following navigable waterways: the Barrow Navigation; the Erne System; the Grand Canal; the Lower Bann Navigation; the Royal Canal; the Shannon-Erne Waterway; and the Shannon Navigation.

Since its establishment, the body has been carrying out these functions, in line with business and corporate plans approved periodically by the North/South Ministerial Council. Most recently, at a meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council on 17 October last, approval was granted to Waterways Ireland to proceed with the restoration of the stretch of Ulster Canal from Upper Lough Erne to Clones. If the Deputy requires further information in respect of any particular aspect of the body's operations, I will be happy to request the CEO to provide this to him directly. I should add that the annual report and accounts of Waterways Ireland are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the action, in chronological order, he, his Department or the North South Ministerial Council has taken for North-South co-operation in relation to urban and rural development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5761/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that a group consisting of representatives of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland and the Special E.U. Programmes Body meets on a regular basis to review progress on projects under the LEADER Programmes. A total of 9 cross-border co-operation projects were approved in the 2000-06 round of funding. It is anticipated that there will be continued good progress under the Co-operation measure in the Rural Development Programme for Ireland 2007-2013.

Furthermore a Steering Committee on Cross Border Rural Development (SCCBRD) was established to promote the maximum co-operation in the implementation of rural development programmes and on EU programmes, to exchange information on experience and best practice in both jurisdictions in relation to rural development, and to examine the scope for a common approach to the feasibility of developing cross-border area based strategies and rural development research. SCCBRD continues to focus on the maximum co-operation in the implementation of rural development and EU programmes, including PEACE and INTERREG, and on rural policy issues. A meeting of this Committee is scheduled for Monday, 18 February 2008.

Officials from my Department also attend the NSMC Agriculture Sector Working Group meetings. My officials are attending the next working group meeting scheduled for today, 14 February 2008. I attended the NSMC Agriculture Sectoral meeting on the 9 November 2007, and will be attending the forthcoming meeting on 30 April 2008. My Department has also funded the Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (Peace 2 and Interreg 3A) since 2002. The Peace 2 Programme seeks to address the legacy of the conflict and to help promote a stable and normal society where opportunities arise. The Interreg 3A Programme aims to develop cross border co-operation. Six cross border Measures under these programmes have been implemented by Border Action on behalf of the Department in co-operation with partners in Northern Ireland.

Two of the cross border Peace measures support projects which focus on the development of cross border reconciliation and understanding, and projects which promote joint approaches to social, education, training and human resource development. While two rural Peace measures have sought to address cross border agriculture and rural development co-operation including cross border community development, and cross border farm diversification. The rural Peace measures closed in March 2007. My Department also fund two Interreg 3A measures which provide support for projects under a rural development initiative and social community infrastructure. All projects under the Programme for Peace and Reconciliation are due to be completed this year.