Policy Areas
The Council is responsible for policy in twelve "Areas for Co-operation". These are:
- Agriculture: Common Agricultural Policy issues, animal and plant health, agricultural research and rural development.
- Education: Education for children with special needs, educational under-achievement, teacher qualifications and school, youth and teacher exchanges.
- Environment: Environmental protection, pollution, water-quality management and waste management.
- Health: Accident and emergency planning, co-operation on high-technology equipment, cancer research and health promotion.
- Tourism: The promotion of the island of Ireland as a tourist destination for overseas visitors via the establishment of a new company, known as Tourism Ireland.
- Transport: Co-operation on strategic transport planning including road and rail infrastructure and public transport services and road and rail safety.
Common policies in these areas are agreed at sectorial meetings of the North/South Ministerial Council, but implemented separately in each jurisdiction. In addition to these, six further "implementation bodies" span across the border. Policies in these areas are agreed at North/South Ministerial Council level and administered directly by cross-border bodies.
| Implementation body | Competence |
|---|---|
| Waterways Ireland | Management of specific and chiefly recreational inland waterways. |
| Food Safety Promotion Board | Food safety awareness. |
| Special European Union Programmes Body | Management and oversight of EU programmes and common chapters of the National Development Plan (Republic of Ireland) and the Northern Ireland Structural Funds Plan. |
| InterTradeIreland | Trade and business development. |
The North/South Language Body:
|
Promotion of the Irish and Ulster Scots languages. |
Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission:
|
The management and development of Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough, the two sea lochs that mark the beginning and end of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland border, and coastal lights. |
Originally, a new jointly owned agency, Lights Agency, was intended to replace the Republic-owned Commissioners of Irish Lights, which manages coastal lights throughout the island of Ireland. However, complexities arising from the transfer of functions have meant that this has had to be reconsidered. In addition to these bodies, tourism, while not within the competence of an implementation body, is promoted by an agency with responsibility for the whole island of Ireland called Tourism Ireland.
Read more about this topic: North/South Ministerial Council
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