North/South Ministerial Council
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The North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC, Irish: An Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh/Theas, Ulster Scots: The Noarth-Sooth Cooncil o Männystèrs) is a body established under the Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement) to co-ordinate activity and exercise certain limited governmental powers across the whole island of Ireland. The Council takes the form of meetings between ministers from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and is responsible for twelve policy areas. Six of these areas are the responsibility of corresponding North/South Implementation Bodies.
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[edit] Policy areas
The Council is responsible for policy in twelve "Areas for Co-operation". Six areas are carried out by existing bodies in each jurisdiction but co-ordinated by the Council. These are: agriculture, education, the environment, health, tourism and transport. 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. Six other areas are the responsibility of executive North-South Implementation Bodies:
| Implementation body | Competence |
| Waterways Ireland | Inland waterways |
| Food Safety Promotion Board | Food safety |
| Special European Union Programmes Body | Special EU programmes |
| InterTradeIreland | Trade and business development |
| The North/South Language Body (consisting of: Foras na Gaeilge and Tha Boord o Ulstèr-Scotch) | Irish and Ulster Scots languages |
| Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission | Foyle, Carlingford and coastal lights |
[edit] Organisation
The Ministerial Council consists of representatives of both the Northern Ireland Executive and the Government of the Republic of Ireland. The Ministerial Council may meet in either a plenary or sectoral format. In a plenary meeting a Northern Ireland delegation is led by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland while the Republic's delegation is led by the Taoiseach and Tánaiste (the Republic's prime minister and deputy prime minister).
A meeting in a sectoral format deals only with one particular policy area, and consists of the minister from the Republic with responsibility for the area under discussion, and two ministers from Northern Ireland (usually one unionist and one nationalist), including the minister with the relevant competence. The Council is supported by a standing Joint Secretariat, based in Armagh, consisting of members of the civil services of both Northern Ireland and the Republic.
