John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the recent North South Ministerial Council; the issues discussed; the future actions to be taken [50164/12]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the specific discussions, he has had with Members of the Northern Ireland Executive or with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to the potential to deepen and broaden North/South cooperation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50194/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 25 together.

The fifteenth Plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) was held in Armagh on 2 November 2012. At the outset, Ministers extended their sympathies to the family of prison officer David Black who was brutally murdered on his way to work on 1 November and condemned those who carried out this atrocity. Along with our colleagues in the Northern Ireland Executive, we reaffirmed our determination that actions such as this will not be allowed to derail progress and our commitment to peace.

At the meeting, discussions covered a wide range of issues including the economic challenges faced in both jurisdictions, the work being undertaken to address the global economic crisis, challenges in the banking sector, NAMA, Corporation Tax and the opportunities for cooperation in developing trade opportunities in, and building business links, with economies such as China and India.

The benefits from maximising the potential of major tourism events including ‘The Gathering’ and Derry UK City of Culture 2013 were noted and we welcomed the major promotional campaigns for both events currently being rolled out by Tourism Ireland.

We also discussed the priorities for the upcoming Irish EU Presidency in 2013, and noted that arrangements have been put in place to enable Irish Ministers to brief their Executive Counterparts on Presidency related issues at NSMC meetings. Consideration was also given to cooperative actions during the Presidency, including possible participation by Northern Ireland Executive Ministers at Presidency-related events.

The meeting reviewed progress across a range of areas of North-South co-operation, including the work of the North-South bodies. In particular, we welcomed a number of other developments including the agreement of a timetable of milestones targeted at the facilitation of the mutual recognition of penalty points across the island and agreements reached in relation to protecting the island of Ireland from exotic animal disease incursion. We also acknowledged InterTradeIreland’s contribution to job creation.

The topic of farm safety was also raised and we expressed our sympathies to everyone who has lost loved ones in farm related accidents.

We welcomed continued progress on business planning for the establishment of the Radiotherapy Unit at Altnagelvin in Derry which will benefit patients on both sides of the border. Construction of this important facility is planned to commence in 2013 with the expectation that the Unit should be operational in 2016.

We also welcomed the establishment of the North South Inter-Parliamentary Association which held its inaugural meeting in Dublin on 12 October 2012.

We reiterated our commitment to the North West Region and noted that further discussions at official level would take place on the North West Gateway Initiative.

The potential for further developing North South cooperation has been specifically discussed with the First and Deputy First Minister. This is an area on which the Government wishes to see early progress.

Following discussion on the matter at the NSMC Plenary, we agreed that senior officials would meet and bring forward proposals on Terms of Reference Two and Three of the St Andrews Agreement Review before the end of the year.

We will continue to work with our Northern colleagues to identify additional opportunities where there is scope for further North South economic cooperation.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had with members of the Northern Ireland Executive and with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to the threat of violence by persons or groups commonly referred to as dissidents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50182/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The peace process and the Good Friday Agreement have resulted in a transformation of society in Northern Ireland, perhaps most visibly in the normalisation of daily life and the dramatic decrease in terrorist-related incidents and violence. There remains, however, a threat from paramilitary groups who continue to assert their determination to impose a return to conflict on the people of Ireland. My Government colleagues and I discuss cross-border security issues and the threat posed by so-called dissident groups on a continuous basis with our partners in Northern Ireland. As co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement we are keenly aware of our responsibilities in this regard. Any discussion of this issue is of course overshadowed by the murder on Thursday 1 November of Prison Officer David Black. The universal condemnation from across the political spectrum in Northern Ireland and the unified reactions from the two Governments underlined the solidity of the peace process. Public statements made by the Taoiseach, Minister Shatter and by myself reinforced the message of the two Governments standing together in solidarity with Prison Officer Black’s family and his colleagues in the Northern Ireland Prison Service. My colleague Minister Shatter attended Mr. Black’s funeral.

I also had the opportunity to speak with Minister Ford at the North South Ministerial Council on 2 November and to convey through him my sympathies and those of the Government to his widow Yvonne and to his children Kyra and Kyle. I also discussed the matter with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when we met last Tuesday, 6 November.

In addition to discussions at political level, strong and deep cooperation exists between An Garda Síochána and the Police Service of Northern Ireland to counter such individuals and groups. The number of arrests in connection with paramilitary activity made in both jurisdictions continues to be significant. The Gardaí and the PSNI will continue to cooperate very closely to combat such activity on both sides of the border.