North-South body agrees new forum

The North-South Ministerial Council has held its fourth meeting since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and the North’s First Minister, David Trimble, both attended the meeting in Armagh, as did Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan and senior ministers from the power-sharing Executive.

The council agreed a north-south forum to include the social partners on both sides of the border and agreed a programme of work to establish a parliamentary forum linking the Dail and the Stormont Assembly.

All participants agreed it was a useful meeting and Mr Trimble denied that unionists are growing increasingly concerned about the powers of the all-Ireland body.