Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Finance further to the communique that issued from December 2009 plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council, if he agrees that he should meet with his Northern Ireland counterpart in advance of the budget that will be published by the British Chancellor of the Exchequer on 22 June 2010; if they will jointly through the North-South Ministerial Council communicate Irish concerns about fiscal and monetary issues that could destabilise this island's two economies to the British Chancellor before 22 June 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22808/10]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 141: To ask the Minister for Finance further to the joint communique that followed the December 2009 plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council, if he met with the Northern Ireland Minister for Finance early in 2010; if he will summarise the outcome of that meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22809/10]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 141 together.

The Minister for Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland Sammy Wilson and I have met on a number of occasions and we discussed matters of mutual interest, including NAMA, the potential for budgetary savings and improved outcomes through North South co-operation and the economic challenges facing both jurisdictions. Indeed, Minister of State Mansergh had a bilateral meeting with Minister Wilson as recently as 20th May last in Belfast.

In addition, the Government is in regular contact with its British counterparts including the new Prime Minister and Secretary of State for NI. The North South Ministerial Council also meets regularly in Plenary and Sectoral formats and discusses the significant economic and public finance challenges in each jurisdiction. The next meeting of the North South Ministerial Council Plenary will take place on Monday, 5 July. At that meeting, as is the norm, we will discuss the economic situation, North and South. At the last Plenary meeting of the NSMC in Derry on 14 December, 2009 there was discussion on the scope for future mutually beneficial cooperation in dealing with the economic downturn. I would expect that we will have further discussion on this at the meeting on 5 July.

I met the Minister for Finance and Personnel Sammy Wilson at the tenth North South Ministerial Meeting in Special EU Programmes Sectoral Format that was held in my Department on 17th February 2010 I represented the Irish Government and the NI Executive was represented by Minister Wilson, MP, MLA and Minister for Social Development Margaret Richie (just after her election as leader of the SDLP). The communiqué issued following the meeting is available on the NSMC website at the following address:http://www.northsouthministerialcouncil.org/index/publications/joint-communiques/sectoral-jc/seupb_jc/seupb_jc_17_february_2010-2.htm The Irish Government remains strongly committed to practical and mutual beneficial North/South cooperation and we continue to explore ways to advance our common interests.