Cross Border Councils Discuss Brexit with Emergency Services

The Louth County Council and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Joint Committee have held their most recent meeting on 20 June at the Monaghan Row Offices in Newry.

The Joint Committee which was formed out of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2011 between the two Councils meets on a regular basis to monitor and discuss a range of development projects. The MOU Action Plan supports and promotes the economic development and competiveness of both areas. An Advisory Forum has also been established and continues to meet to discuss this action plan and to make recommendations on progress of various actions.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the potential impact of Brexit on existing cross border arrangements between the Fire and Rescue services and members received a joint presentation from Randy McComb from the Northern Ireland Fire Service and Joe Lumsden, the Louth Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer.

Joint Chair of the Committee, Councillor Declan McAteer said, “All those present at this Joint Committee meeting found the presentation very useful and informative. It gave us a new understanding of the workings of the MOU between the NIFS in Newry and the Fire and Rescue Service in Louth, particularly in relation to the existing legislation which allows this MOU to continue to develop.”

Councillor Edel Corrigan, Joint Chair of the Committee, commented, “This was a valuable presentation from the Emergency Services. It highlighted the potential detrimental impact of Brexit on an existing MOU between Fire and Rescue services to attend accidents either side of the border, which has proven to save numerous lives over the years.”