16 February 2001

NORTH/SOUTH MINISTERIAL COUNCIL

TRADE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SECTOR

DUNDALK, FRIDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2001

JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ

1. The fourth meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council in its Trade and Business Development Sectoral Format was held in Dundalk on Friday 16 February 2001. The meeting dealt with issues relating to the Trade and Business Development Body, now known as InterTradeIreland, which is one of the six North/South Implementation Bodies.

2. The Irish Government was represented by Ms Mary Harney, TD, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment who chaired the meeting. The Northern Ireland Executive Delegation comprised Sir Reg Empey, MLA, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment and Dr Seán Farren MLA, Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment.

   Report from the Chief Executive

3. The Chief Executive of InterTradeIreland, Mr Liam Nellis, made an oral report to the Council. This included briefing Ministers on the progress made in the establishing of its permanent offices in Newry and progress in appointing its permanent staff and recent activities.
4. He indicated that the work of establishing the Body was continuing to go smoothly and he reported on how he proposed to take the work forward. In this regard, the Council noted a paper introduced by Mr Nellis which outlined the main activities carried out by the Body in its first year of operation. The Ministers congratulated Mr Nellis on his appointment as Chief Executive and wished him well for the future. They welcomed the considerable progress in establishing the Trade and Business Development Body and the volume of work, which has been completed by the Board of the Body. Both sides looked forward to continued progress in the development of Trade and Business between the two parts of the island.

     

   Proposals by InterTradeIreland

    

   Operating Plan

5. The Ministers approved the Body's Operating Plan for 2001, which outlined activities for the year and the associated budget. Major initiatives planned by InterTradeIreland for 2001 include:

• Promoting the increased use of Equity/Venture Capital throughout the island, particularly for family and other small firms and encouraging the use of seed corn funding of new business ideas.
• Promoting a small number of strategic business networks in the border area with a focus on developing hi-tech businesses.
• Developing an overall Trade and Business Development Policy for the island.
• Continued work on bringing the development agencies North and South together in order to share ideas and experience.
• Supporting science and technological innovation in companies on a cross-border basis.
• Supporting the development of e.commerce throughout the island including the establishment of an all-island research fund.
• Assisting in the strengthening of the local 'supply chain' to both major multi-national and indigenous companies on the island of Ireland.
• Increasing awareness of the potential of public procurement on both parts of the island as an area of opportunity for expansion of business North and South.
• Promoting the benefits of North/South Trade and enhancing market awareness.

InterTradeIreland also plan to support a number of major all-island awards schemes for design and innovation throughout the year.

Graduate Placement Programme

6. In the legislation establishing the Body, InterTradeIreland was mandated to bring forward to the North/South Ministerial Council proposals for establishing a graduate placement programme on a North /South basis. The Ministers approved the Body's proposals to introduce two programmes on a cross-border basis, one linking business and graduates and the other linking business and third level institutions. Ministers asked that this activity be treated as a key priority that could make an important impact on developing and increasing trade and business links North and South.

   Competitiveness

7. The Plenary meeting of the NSMC in September considered an Irish Government paper on enhancing the competitiveness of the two economies on the island, North and South. It was agreed at that time that it would be valuable if further consideration could be given to the matter by the Council in its Trade and Business Development Format with a view to reporting to the next Plenary Meeting. At its meeting in the Trade and Business Development Sector in October, the Council agreed that the study would be taken forward by the Body in co-operation with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Dublin and Belfast respectively, with a view to a competitiveness report being prepared for the next Plenary meeting of the Council in 2001.

8. At to-day's meeting, the Ministers noted and approved the proposals put forward by InterTradeIreland and agreed that the proposals should be taken forward in co-operation with DETI Belfast and DETE Dublin with a view to progress being reported to the next Plenary meeting. In this regard, InterTradeIreland brought forward a number of specific recommendations in relation to areas where the Body considered it could address all-island competitiveness issues, for example in areas such as innovation and information and communication technology.

   Draft Equality Scheme

9. The Ministers considered and agreed that the Body's Draft Equality Scheme should go out for public consulation.

Next Meeting

10. The Council agreed to meet again in this Sectoral Format in Northern Ireland in June 2001.