Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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122. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the areas that have been identified for enhanced North / South co-operation arising from the Stormont House Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15928/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Stormont House Agreement is a significant achievement that has the potential to advance genuine reconciliation between divided communities and progress economic prosperity for all in Northern Ireland and across this island. One of the commitments we made at Stormont House last December was to agree a report on new priorities for North-South co-operation. At the North South Ministerial Council Institutional Meeting that took place in Belfast on 25 February, I, along with Minister of State Sherlock, agreed that report with First Minister Robinson and deputy First Minister McGuinness. The report reflected discussions which have focused on areas of mutual benefit including economic recovery, job creation and improving service delivery and will be discussed further at the next North South Plenary meeting taking place in Dublin in June. While more work needs to be done, the additional areas of co-operation that I would wish to see prioritised on a North South basis would be thosethat deliver tangible benefits to the people of this island such as higher level education, agri-food, energy, climate change, creative industries, sport and other joint initiatives ensuring the most effective use of scarce public funds on both sides of the border.

Other possible areas include the benefits that could result from cooperation between Fáilte Ireland and their colleagues in Northern Ireland in areas of cultural and heritage tourism. Enhanced cooperation on Research and Development and Innovation is another area that is ripe for further collaboration for our mutual benefit.

On a final point, I would note that another commitment that was made as part of the Stormont House Agreement was to hold a meeting of Ministers in the North West. I look forward to this meeting taking place as soon as is practically possible and I believe it will provide an additional opportunity to drive forward additional North South cooperation.