Recommendation 22

We note with concern the weight of evidence which suggests that the potential for the Strand Two institutions to deliver meaningful cooperation on the island of Ireland for the benefit of all its citizens, North and South, has not been realised. However, we also commend efforts which have seen pragmatic cooperation outside of the formal structures of the institutions, with the benefits that have resulted. Nonetheless, we conclude that cooperation is best achieved through regular, formal, substantive participation in structures dedicated purely to the purpose of cooperation for mutual benefit, and we call for a renewed commitment on the part of the parties of Northern Ireland to realising the possibilities Strand Two created. To this end, we recommend that the Government incorporates into the Review a comprehensive evaluation of the structure and working practices of the NSMC and the implementation bodies, including the necessity or otherwise of the ministerial veto on attendance, such that maximum participation from the two administrations can be achieved and meaningful results delivered. (Paragraph 119) Strand Three - East/West institutions