Irish Lights to be subsumed into cross-Border commission

The Commissioners of Irish Lights is to be dissolved under the new cross-Border body set up under the Belfast Agreement.

The all-island authority, which is responsible for maintaining lighthouses and navigational aids, is to be subsumed into a new commission which will cover management of Foyle and Carlingford loughs, and development of aqua-culture, inland fisheries and marine tourism in the Border areas.

A spokesman for the Commissioners said it was "broadly supportive" of the move. However, it is understood the authority had little or no warning of the decision to curtail its independence. The new structure, known as the Foyle Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission, is one of six implementation bodies set out in the British-Irish Agreement Bill 1999.

The details of the new structure are still being studied by Irish Lights officials. Following its inclusion in the Belfast Agreement, there were fears about job losses. However, a spokesman for the board said he was not aware of any plans to effect any redundancies among the 260 full-time staff.