Debate contribution: North/South Ministerial Council: Twenty-ninth Plenary Meeting

Debate contribution by Ms Michelle O'Neill on 30 June 2025.

MLA

Ms Michelle O'Neill

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

30 June 2025

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Ministerial Statements

Heading

North/South Ministerial Council: Twenty-ninth Plenary Meeting

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5042785

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

In compliance with the Northern Ireland Act 1998, I wish to make the following statement on the twenty-ninth plenary meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC), which was held in the joint secretariat offices in Armagh on 20 June 2025. The deputy First Minister and I agreed that I would provide the report. The deputy First Minister and I led the Executive delegation, and the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin TD, led the Irish Government delegation. The deputy First Minister and I chaired the meeting. This was the first meeting of the NSMC in plenary format since the new Government of Ireland took office and since the publication of Programmes for Government in both jurisdictions. The meeting provided an opportunity for Ministers to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest and concern. The first item on the agenda related to business and trade matters, and the NSMC had an exchange of views on the business and trade implications of recent developments in the international sphere. The Council noted the respective strategies in each jurisdiction on business and trade-related areas such as industrial policy, competitiveness and AI. The Council agreed that, in what is an increasingly complex and unpredictable international trading environment, it is important that the two Administrations remain engaged with each other at political and official level on business and trade matters. The NSMC agreed that, where appropriate, the NSMC sector should continue to consider how agreed collaborative approaches can contribute to the promotion of economic growth. The NSMC received an update report from the joint secretaries and noted that, since the last plenary meeting in September 2024, Ministers had met in 10 sectors and that meetings in the remaining sectors would take place by the end of July. The Council reported that it had considered a number of corporate governance matters in each of the North/South implementation bodies, including business plans, budgets and annual reports and accounts. It was noted that board members, including chairpersons and vice chairpersons, were appointed to a number of the bodies and that the NSMC approved the reappointment of the CEOs of InterTradeIreland and Waterways Ireland. The NSMC noted that engagement on a wide range of policy areas continues across all NSMC work sectors and that Ministers had discussed climate change and loss of biodiversity at the relevant sectoral meetings. The Council considered infrastructural investment cooperation, and Ministers welcomed the decision by the Executive to proceed with the A5 western transport corridor project and to await the outcome of the legal proceedings. Obviously, things have moved on in that area since the meeting, with the legal outworking last week. The Council noted that Waterways Ireland continues to progress phase 3 of the Ulster canal restoration project. Ministers also noted the ongoing work to progress the all-island strategic rail review's recommendations and the increase in passenger numbers through the hourly service on the Belfast to Dublin corridor. Ministers noted the progress that has been made on the Narrow Water bridge project and welcomed the Government of Ireland's Programme for Government commitment to engage with all relevant stakeholders to establish air connectivity between Dublin Airport and City of Derry Airport. The NSMC noted the work being done on cross-border greenways, including the opening of the Carlingford lough greenway later in the year and the review of further potential greenway opportunities. Ministers noted the progress that has been made on the Ulster University Magee expansion project. The Council also noted the progress that has been made on the delivery of collaborative research and innovation programmes. Ministers welcomed the implementation of the PEACE PLUS programme and the discussions with relevant stakeholders on the potential for a successor to the current PEACE PLUS programme. The next item on the agenda related to mother-and-baby institutions, Magdalene laundries and workhouses. The Council welcomed the ongoing North/South engagement on the potential reciprocal arrangements to disregard redress payments for means-tested benefits for mother-and-baby institution payment schemes and noted upcoming engagements between officials on the forthcoming truth recovery redress scheme. The NSMC also noted ongoing North/South cooperation in sharing knowledge and identifying lessons learned from the redress scheme. The Council noted that Executive Office officials attended an engagement event on the development of the National Centre for Research and Remembrance in Dublin. Ministers noted the ongoing engagement between the Public Record Office and the National Archives on records and that comparable legislation for the preservation of private records related to institutions is now in place in both jurisdictions. The Council went on to consider ending violence against women and girls (EVAWG) and tackling gender-based violence. Ministers recognised the unacceptably high levels of gender-based violence and violence against women and girls that are prevalent across both jurisdictions and noted that addressing the issue will require a whole-of-society approach. The NSMC agreed that officials should continue to explore opportunities for joint working in that area, recognising the common challenges faced. The meeting closed with Ministers agreeing a future schedule for NSMC meetings across the various sectors and agreeing that the next NSMC plenary meeting will take place in Dublin in the autumn of this year. That concludes the statement.

860 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:57 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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