The
North/South institutions of the Good Friday Agreement
North/South Ministerial Council and Implementation Bodies
Background Note
11. Waterways Ireland
Lead Ministers in the NSMC:
Northern Ireland Executive: Mr Michael McGimpsey, MLA, Minister of Culture,
Arts and Leisure.
Irish Government: Ms Síle deValera, TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht
and the Islands
12. The interim Chief Executive is Mr John Mahony. On 29 January 2001, the
NSMC approved the appointment of Mr John Martin (currently Deputy Chief
Executive of Waterways Ireland) as the permanent Chief Executive.
13. Enniskillen has been designated as the HQ and regional offices have
been established in Carrick-on-Shannon, Scarriff and Dublin. Waterways Ireland
can be contacted at:
20 Darling Street
Enniskillen
BT74 7EW
Co Fermanagh
Tel: 028/048 66 323 004
Fax: 028/048 66 346 237/8
E-mail: brigid.sludden@waterways-ireland.org
14. Waterways Ireland initially assumed responsibility for the Shannon Erne
Waterway. On 1 April 2000 all of the island's currently navigable waterways
were transferred to the Body, when a three region structure - Eastern, Western
and Northern - came into effect. The Body is empowered to engage in promotion,
including marketing and development, of the tourism and commercial potential
of the inland waterways for which it has responsibility. The Body thus has
the opportunity and the capacity to make a major contribution to the development
of parts of the island yet to reap the fullest benefit from tourism. When
fully operational it is projected that it will have a staff of over 350
people.
15. The programme of activity ahead for Waterways Ireland includes:
· taking forward capital works programme totalling IR£8.04m. (This includes
major navigation works in Limerick City, reconstruction works on the Royal
Canal and refurbishment work on Lough Erne moorings);
· ongoing maintenance work on navigable waterways at a cost of IR£7.95m;
and
· updating a feasibility study of the Ulster Canal project (this is potentially
a major project - the last estimate was IR£89m).
16. Food Safety Promotion Board
Lead Ministers in the NSMC:
Northern Ireland Executive: Ms Bairbre de Brún, MLA, Minister of Health,
Social Services and Public Safety.
Irish Government: Mr Micheál Martin, TD, Minister for Health and Children
17. The interim Chief Executive is Mr Martin Higgins who may be contacted
at:
Abbey Court
Lower Abbey Street
Dublin 1
Tel: 003531 8171317
Fax: 003531 8783710
E-mail: info@fspb.org
18. The Dublin offices are temporary and a permanent HQ has been identified
at Little Island in Cork. It is anticipated that the offices in Cork will
be available for occupation in early 2001.
19. The Food Safety Promotion Board is principally charged with tasks involving
food safety awareness - through public campaigns, conferences, training
and advising professionals and the general public. It is also involved in
supporting North/South scientific co-operation, and links between institutions
working in the field of food safety - laboratories, statutory food safety
enforcement agencies, international and domestic research bodies. Its remit
also includes the promotion of specialised laboratory services, North and
South. Cross-border co-operation in all of these areas, between organisations
working these fields, will be central to the work of this particular Body.
The Body has an Advisory Board consisting of 12 members, appointed by the
NSMC. The NSMC will also appoint a Chief Executive and an Advisory Committee
to include scientific experts and representatives of broader food safety
interests. When fully operational it will have a staff complement of 30
(projected). |
