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Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill attend North South Ministerial Council meeting Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill attend North South Ministerial Council meeting
(32 minutes later)
The taoiseach and Arlene Foster have described the first North South Ministerial Council meeting in more than three years as "constructive" and "warm". The taoiseach and First Minister Arlene Foster have described the first North South Ministerial Council meeting in more than three years as "constructive" and "warm".
Micheál Martin said the parties discussed the preparedness for Brexit, as the UK and Republic of Ireland move "into a critical phase".Micheál Martin said the parties discussed the preparedness for Brexit, as the UK and Republic of Ireland move "into a critical phase".
Mrs Foster, the first minister, said Covid-19 was at the forefront of the meeting. Mrs Foster said Covid-19 was at the forefront of the meeting.
The meeting was held in Dublin Castle. The council did not sit during the suspension of Stormont.
Mr Martin said there was a wide ranging discussion on a raft of issues, including climate and infrastructure, while Mrs Foster said that collaboration north, south, east and west, will be "fundamental to economic renewal" in both jurisdictions. Speaking after the meeting, which was also attended by Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) Leo Varadkar, was a wide ranging discussion on a raft of issues, including climate and infrastructure.
Mrs Foster said that collaboration north, south, east and west, will be "fundamental to economic renewal" in both jurisdictions.
Asked about the different travel regimes in place on both sides of the border with regard to Covid-19, Mr Martin said the key is testing and contact tracing and keeping pressure on the virus wherever it emerges.Asked about the different travel regimes in place on both sides of the border with regard to Covid-19, Mr Martin said the key is testing and contact tracing and keeping pressure on the virus wherever it emerges.
"We're very possessed of the idea that we need to stay as aligned as much as we can," he said."We're very possessed of the idea that we need to stay as aligned as much as we can," he said.
The cross-border body was not able to sit for three and a half years during the suspension of devolved government at Stormont. The Republic of Ireland has a so-called "green list" of 15 nations, from which travellers entering the country do not have to self-isolate for 14 days, but Northern Ireland has a list of 58 such countries.
The first and deputy first ministers appeared at a press conference later for the first time since the funeral of veteran republican Bobby Storey. In the Dáil (Irish parliament) this week, Mr Martin said the Republic of Ireland had "much stricter" travel guidance than Northern Ireland.
The meeting is taking place at Dublin Castle. Mrs Foster said she would much prefer people from Northern Ireland to have a "staycation" this year, and people should acknowledge that they may have to quarantine if they are returning from abroad.
Friday's meeting at Dublin Castle was attended by Stormont ministers and their Irish counterparts, including Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Mícheál Martin and Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar. "I do regret that some people who were in Spain had to quarantine when they came home as I know the impact that will have in terms of their jobs and families," she added.
It comes after a tumultuous first month in office for Mr Martin, who was elected taoiseach on the last Saturday of June as the head of a coalition that included his Fianna Fáil party, Fine Gael and the Greens. "But our primary purpose it to protect the people of Northern Ireland and keep the virus to a low level."
The agenda included Brexit trade negotiations, response to the coronavirus pandemic and concerns about international travel to the island. Meanwhile, Ms O'Neill said that "time is running out" on Brexit, and that people in Northern Ireland urgently need clarity about what the outcome is going to be.
"We're at the eleventh hour ... and what we have is a situation where businesses in the north and citizens in the north are still confused about what actually is going to be the outcome, so what we need is certainty and clarity.
"We have to have the [Irish] protocol implemented in full - that gives us protection and recognises our unique position in the north of Ireland."
The meeting comes after a tumultuous first month in office for Mr Martin, who was elected taoiseach on the last Saturday of June as the head of a coalition that included his Fianna Fáil party, Fine Gael and the Greens.
The North South Ministerial meeting started with Arlene and Michelle offering the new coalition partners in the Republic advice on how to make power sharing work.The North South Ministerial meeting started with Arlene and Michelle offering the new coalition partners in the Republic advice on how to make power sharing work.
It got a good laugh, I am told.It got a good laugh, I am told.
There then followed a frank exchange of views on Brexit, discussed implications for businesses in Northern Ireland.There then followed a frank exchange of views on Brexit, discussed implications for businesses in Northern Ireland.
There were mixed views on the Irish protocol as expected and concern was expressed about putting it in place before the deadline at the end of the transition period.There were mixed views on the Irish protocol as expected and concern was expressed about putting it in place before the deadline at the end of the transition period.
The Republic of Ireland has a so-called "green list" of 15 nations, from which travellers entering the country do not have to self-isolate for 14 days, but Northern Ireland has a list of 58 such countries. On the Covid-19 cross border challenge, both health ministers agreed to work on a plan to share information on international travellers to ensure they can be monitored in both jurisdictions.
In the Dáil (Irish parliament) this week, Mr Martin said the Republic of Ireland had "much stricter" travel guidance than Northern Ireland. The bigger headache of the gap in their respective travel 'green lists' of approved countries is being left to the British Irish Council to resolve, when the UK government will be at the table.
"It is important to recognise the dangers travel can present in terms of creating spikes on the island of Ireland. We have to work towards a joint approach in relation to that," he added. And we are told it could be a Zoom call.
The ministers are also expected to discuss infrastructure issues, including the Belfast-to-Dublin rail link. The first and deputy first ministers appeared at a press conference at the meeting in Dublin Castle for the first time since the funeral of veteran republican Bobby Storey.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Mrs Foster shared a platform with Ms O'Neill, the Sinn Féin vice-president, during a press conference after the meeting.
They have not shared a press platform since Ms O'Neill attended the funeral of Mr Storey on 30 June.They have not shared a press platform since Ms O'Neill attended the funeral of Mr Storey on 30 June.
The north Belfast man was considered the head of intelligence of the IRA for a period from the mid-1990s and was named as such under parliamentary privilege.The north Belfast man was considered the head of intelligence of the IRA for a period from the mid-1990s and was named as such under parliamentary privilege.
Ms O'Neill was among hundreds of mourners at the service in west Belfast in spite of restrictions on numbers of people allowed to gather together.Ms O'Neill was among hundreds of mourners at the service in west Belfast in spite of restrictions on numbers of people allowed to gather together.
Mrs Foster claimed that damaged Ms O'Neill's credibility in delivering public health messages about the pandemic.Mrs Foster claimed that damaged Ms O'Neill's credibility in delivering public health messages about the pandemic.
Ms O'Neill has stood by her decision to go to the funeral but did apologise to families bereaved during lockdown for any hurt caused by scenes of hundreds of people lining the route.Ms O'Neill has stood by her decision to go to the funeral but did apologise to families bereaved during lockdown for any hurt caused by scenes of hundreds of people lining the route.
The first minister said the apology fell short of what was needed to rebuild trust in the deputy first minister.The first minister said the apology fell short of what was needed to rebuild trust in the deputy first minister.
What is the North South Ministerial Council?What is the North South Ministerial Council?
It is one of the institutions set up under the Good Friday Agreement, the peace accord that is widely seen as marking the effective end of Northern Ireland's Troubles.It is one of the institutions set up under the Good Friday Agreement, the peace accord that is widely seen as marking the effective end of Northern Ireland's Troubles.
The council is the main body for cross-border co-operation between the governments of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.The council is the main body for cross-border co-operation between the governments of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
It is attended by ministers from both sides of the border who oversee joint working in areas such as trade, food safety and agriculture.It is attended by ministers from both sides of the border who oversee joint working in areas such as trade, food safety and agriculture.
It has not met since November 2016 because Northern Ireland's power-sharing government was suspended until January this year.It has not met since November 2016 because Northern Ireland's power-sharing government was suspended until January this year.