Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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136. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the agenda for the forthcoming North South Ministerial Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37302/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The agenda for the upcoming meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in plenary format has still to be agreed with the Northern Ireland administration. However, it is customary at these meetings for Ministers to review work undertaken in the areas of North South cooperation, including by the North-South Bodies, since the preceding plenary meeting.

It is likely that discussions will also touch on financial and economic matters, the shared interest North and South in EU issues including the new PEACE and INTERREG programmes, the North West Gateway Initiative, and, in the context of the St Andrews Agreement Review, progress made on expanding the areas of North South cooperation and ongoing opportunities for further all-island cooperation, with the focus on those areas that promote economic recovery, job creation, the best use of tax-payers’ funds and the most effective delivery of public services. I also expect a discussion to take place on the North South Consultative Forum.

I am looking forward to the Plenary and to continuing to work with our Northern colleagues on the further development of North South cooperation.