North-South cooperation since the agreement

Abstract

This paper reviews the story of North-South cooperation after 1999. Because of the sensitivities associated with North-South cooperation, the initial meetings of the North/South Ministerial Council were important as much for symbolism as for practical outcomes. But as the implementation bodies established themselves, and gov-ernment departments engaged in the areas of cooperation, the possibilities offered by cooperation for mutual benefit became more apparent, and NSMC meetings assumed a different and much more meaningful character. The paper looks at the impact of the Northern Ireland Assembly’s suspension in 2002, and offers a brief look at the wider dimensions of cross-border cooperation.