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Taoiseach Enda Kenny to attend North South Ministerial Council in Armagh
Taoiseach Enda Kenny and First Minister Peter Robinson are pictured at the Meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in Armagh
Taoiseach Enda Kenny today attended the twenty first plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in the NSMC Headquarters in Armagh.
The Taoiseach lead members of the Cabinet who met collectively with the Northern Ireland Executive. First Minister Peter Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness hosted the meeting. The meeting was held following the conclusion of all-party talks on 17 November with the ‘A Fresh Start: The Stormont House Agreement and Implementation Plan’. First Minister Peter Robinson has announced his intention to retire from politics at the end of the year and this was his final NSMC Plenary.
Speaking in advance of the meeting, the Taoiseach said:
I look forward to engagement with members of the Northern Ireland Executive at the North South Ministerial Council where we will have a detailed and open discussion on financial and economic matters. The meeting will afford us the opportunity to highlight progress, particularly in the economic sphere, in North-South co-operation. We will reflect on our commitments under the Capital Infrastructure Plan and ‘Fresh Start’ Agreement to invest in infrastructure to support North South cooperation and the adoption by the European Commission on 30 November of the new €270 million Peace IV Programme
The visit will also give me the opportunity to extend best wishes to First Minister Peter Robinson as he attends his last NSMC meeting before his retirement, and to engage with him and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness on the wider North/South agenda.
Read the Joint Communique from today’s Plenary Meeting here.