Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the action, in chronological order, she, her Department or the North South Ministerial Council have taken for North-South co-operation in relation to agriculture, animal and plant health; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5753/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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There has been one North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) Agriculture Sectoral meeting since the NSMC Plenary meeting in July last year. This sectoral meeting was held in Donegal on 9th November 2007. In relation to animal health and welfare, the Council

recognised the important work that has been undertaken to develop an all-island Animal Health and Welfare Strategy;

noted the all-island Animal Health and Welfare Strategy paper developed by the North/South Animal Health and Welfare Steering Group and which includes a list of initial activities for delivery of key elements of the strategy with various milestones and deadlines for the immediate period ahead;

agreed that the way forward is through co-operation and the development of complementary policies;

agreed that the free movement of animals on the island continues to be the ultimate aim of an animal health and welfare strategy; and

requested officials to continue to oversee progress on delivery of the initial activities of the Strategy and to identify further issues to progress the Strategy for approval at the next NSMC sectoral meeting.

In relation to co-operation on plant health, the Council

welcomed the close North/South co-operation on plant health;

agreed that the focus of this co-operation should continue to be the status of pests and diseases threatening the island's plant health; research developments on diagnostic tools and eradication measures; new items of EU or national legislation; and co-operation on EU matters;

noted that the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is developing a plant health strategy for Northern Ireland which will include a section on North/South co-operation consistent with DAFF plant health strategies; and

agreed that the work of the North/South Pesticide Steering Group should focus on the production of co-ordinated pesticide usage surveys for grassland and fodder crops and for arable crops.

On Common Agriculture Policy issues, the Council:

agreed that officials should remain in close contact on a range of key CAP issues including the EU Commission's recent adoption of a single Common Market Organisation, the reform of the Fruit and Vegetable sector and the forthcoming CAP "Health Check" to examine how the CAP reforms of 2003 have worked as a result of EU enlargement and other changes;

noted that future NSMC meetings will consider and review common challenges and opportunities arising from the EU dimension of agriculture.

The next NSMC Agriculture Sectoral meeting is scheduled to take place in 30th April in Enniskillen.