This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Northern Ireland FM visits Scotland
20/06/2002
The First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern
Ireland, David Trimble and Mark Durkan, met their Scottish
counterparts Jack McConnell and Jim Wallace at Bute House
in Edinburgh today.
The purpose of the visit, which began on Wednesday night
with a dinner at Edinburgh Castle, was to discuss the
practical experience of devolution in Scotland and Northern
Ireland.
The issues under discussion included relationships with
local authorities and arrangements for working with the UK
government.
Afterwards a
statement said: "It was agreed by the Ministers at the
meeting that it would be a good idea if the three
devolved administrations met once or twice a year to
discuss matters of common interest. This was a very
good meeting where the issues of Europe, the health
service, youth crime and the financing of major
capital projects was discussed."
Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan later met the Scottish Minister
for Finance and Public Service Andy Kerr and the Minister
for Parliamentary Business Patricia Ferguson before
attending a session of the Scottish Parliament where they
were greeted by Presiding Officer Sir David Steel.