NOVEMBER 2005

Government Plans for North East

Donegal North East TD, Cecilia Keaveney, will question Mr Hain, Secretary of State on the region's "problems", in connection with his plans for essential road, rail, gas and air projects in the North West next week when politicians gather at the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body in Scotland. The 68-member body will meet for the 31st plenary session in the Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club near Edinburgh.

The Northern Secretary who will deliver the keynote address on behalf of the British Government on Monday, will be asked to answer the following question tabled by the Moville-based politician: "What plans he has pending the appointment of a Northern Ireland Executive and North South Ministerial Council meetings and in the context of ten year national plans being developed in the Republic, to ensure that physical infrastructure projects such as gas, train, plane, roads or projects of concern to the North West in the Health Sector are progressed".

Fine Gael Senator Paul Coghlan will travel to Edinburgh. The Conference will run in the Scottish Capital from Sunday to Tuesday of next week.

North South bodies set up under the Good Friday Agreement will continue working for another 12 months to fill the political vacuum in the North. The six institutions cover inland water was, agriculture, food safety, the Irish and Ulster Scots languages, European Union funding programmes, and trade business development. Their periods of operation were due to expire next month but the Irish Government has approved extensions to allow them to continue to work for another year. A formal announcement on the matter is expected by the Republic's Foreign Affairs Department. A Government source said this week: "The six bodies meet regularly and play an important role in filling the political vacuum in the absence of power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland.

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