07/02/2008

Child Protection Tops Agenda At North-South Meeting

Child protection is expected to be top of the agenda at the latest North-South Ministerial Council meeting taking place today.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will meet Northern Ireland First Minister Rev Ian Paisley for the talks in Dundalk.

The Taoiseach will be leading the Irish Government delegation, with First Minister Ian Paisley heading the northern team, joined by Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

The delegations will discuss plans for a cross-border public awareness campaign to highlight child protection and the movements of paedophiles, as well as a range of other issues of mutual concern.

It will be the second plenary session of the Council since devolution returned to the North last May.

The talks come ahead of a meeting between Mr Ahern and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Manchester this weekend.

The two men are set to meet on Sunday to discuss the planned devolution of policing and justice in Northern Ireland, before attending a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.

A key element of the St Andrew's agreement is the restoration of policing and justice powers within two years of the Executive being formed, meaning that full devolution of these powers must take place by May 2009.

(VB)

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