Cavan/Monaghan TD Brendan Smith is in Belfast this morning representing the Fianna Fáil Party at a key seminar in relation to the future of North-South Co-operation. This meeting has been organised by The Irish Association and marks the 25th Anniversary of the North-South Ministerial Council and the establishment of the 6 All Ireland Implementation Bodies including Waterways Ireland. Among the keynote speakers are the former Taoiseach, and one of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement, Bertie Ahern and Lord Reg Empey former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and Stormont Enterprise Minister. Deputy Brendan Smith told Northern Sound that since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement there has been the very valuable development and growth of the All- Ireland economy and cross-border trade has increased from €2 billion in 1998 to €12 billion in 2022.
Speaking to Northern Sound, Deputy Smith said; "Again I will take the opportunity to highlight the challenges facing us in the central border region in areas such as Cavan and Monaghan and also the many opportunities there are to grow our local economy on a cross-border basis for the benefit of people North and South. In planning for the future it is important to reflect on the working of these Institutions 25 years on since their establishment."
