The Irish and British governments have set up a joint steering group to drive forward efforts to establish an all-Ireland energy market, it was announced tonight.
The announcement came after a meeting between the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Dermot Ahern and the Northern Ireland Office minister responsible for enterprise, trade and investment, Mr Ian Pearson.
They announced the establishment of the steering group to "maintain progress and ensure that developments in both jurisdictions complement the central goal of the mutually beneficial integrated system".
Senior officials from the minister's departments and the regulatory authorities on both side of the border will form the joint steering group, oversee a number of specific studies and report to the ministers at regular intervals.
The ministers reviewed significant co-operative developments in recent years and Mr Pearson said that an integrated and more competitive all-island energy market could provide substantial economic and social benefits notably in the areas of investment, planning, pricing and reliability of supply.
PA
