Tue 05 May 2007Add it up Three steps to better co-operation1A proper policy on North-South educational
co-operation from the governments in Dublin and Belfast, preceded
by a Green Paper to be circulated widely in both jurisdictions for
discussion. This could usefully be the main item on the agenda at
the first meeting between the three ministers in charge of
education on the island: whoever takes over from Mary Hanafin in
the Department of Education and Science, and Caitriona Ruane
(Minister for Education) and Sir Reg Empey (Minister for Employment
and Learning) in the Northern administration.2As a first concrete step, transformation of the
North South Exchange Consortium into a statutory and properly
funded facilitating body for school and youth exchanges. This body
would systematically oversee, evaluate and fund cross-Border
co-operation in education.