North/South Co-operation, particularly in the context of the Good Friday and St. Andrew's Agreements, continues to be a key priority for the Department.
The Department is particularly engaged in support for the North-South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in its Language and Waterways sectors, given our role in co-funding and supporting two North/South bodies under our remit. These bodies are Waterways Ireland and An Foras Teanga (comprising Foras na Gaeilge and Tha Boord o Ulster-Scotch/The Ulster Scots Agency) and are co-sponsored with the Department of Culture, Arts & Leisure in Northern Ireland.
The Department remains committed to exploring ways of increasing the level of North/South co-operation across the full range of activities for which we have responsibility and to broadening contact with all relevant organisations and groups in Northern Ireland. Areas of active co-operation currently include islands development, commemoration programme development, arts, culture, music and film collaboration and co-operation in relation to the built and natural heritage in both jurisdictions.