Cross-border bodies a hidden success story
Set up in December 1999 to provide mutual benefits for people North and South, the six bodies have been relatively unaffected by identity politics.
“They’re staffed by a very dedicated bunch of people and they’ve conducted business constructively, not on a political basis,” said an Irish government source.
The six cross-border bodies cover areas like food safety, tourism and inland waterways. The annual budget is over 190 million, with roughly two-thirds of this coming from the Irish government.
The North-South Ministerial Council, which oversees the operation of the bodies, will meet today for the 65th time. But although the cross-border bodies have steered clear of political crisis, they may be dragged down by the other problems within the Good Friday Agreement.
If the Northern ministers are unable to participate in the council, the bodies will be able to carry on in the short term. But a longer absence would make it very difficult to preserve one of the most positive legacies of the four-year-old Good Friday Agreement.
What the cross border bodies do:
The organisation now markets Ireland abroad to foreign visitors, while Bord Fáilte promotes domestic tourism. It has been praised for setting up a professional organisation in a short space of time. There were criticisms this year from the tourism industry, who felt that Tourism Ireland needed to spend more to boost the falling number of American visitors. But the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation said it had performed well in a difficult year.
This body was not set up to provide grants like Enterprise Ireland but instead to increase trade between North and South. The body provides companies with business information, joint research and development.
This body already has one operating agency, the Loughs Agency. It looks after Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough and promotes the commercial and leisure use of the loughs.
It also ensures that the salmon and other fish stocks are properly maintained. Last year, it introduced a tagging system for captured fish to cut down on poaching.
But another part of the body, the Lights Agency, was supposed to assume the responsibilities of the Irish Lights Commission. This would include looking after all lights and lighthouses across Ireland. However, this hasn’t happened yet because of difficulties passing the necessary legislation.
This is by far the largest of the cross-border bodies with more than 350 staff members.
It promotes the leisure use of Ireland’s waterways and its staff operate locks on canals all over the country.
Waterways Ireland has produced a report on opening the Ulster Canal, but the potential £90 million cost may delay the project.
This body oversees a budget of 780 million, spread across different programmes such as Leader+ and the European program for Peace and Reconciliation.
It monitors the programs to ensure that projects are delivered efficiently and also draws up guidelines for funding applications. 80% of the funding goes to the North with 20% going to Irish counties in the border area.
This body is made up of two agencies, Tha Boord o Ulstèr-Scotch/The Ulster-Scots Agency and Foras na Gaeilge.
Each is responsible for promoting their own language throughout the island.
This body has the express aim of raising confidence in Irish food safety.
It has ran food safety campaigns and provided advice to a worried public.
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