Members of Government will today meet the North's ministers during all-Ireland talks in Derry that will discuss the economic crisis.
The meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council will see First and Deputy First Ministers Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness host talks with Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Foreign Affairs minister Micheál Martin and other cabinet members at the University of Ulster.
Earlier this month, US computer giant Dell announced it was to close part of its operation in Limerick - with 1,900 jobs going - while the North recorded the largest annual increase in unemployed since 1971 in figures released earlier.
Mr Martin is expected to meet victims of the 1972 Bloody Sunday shooting dead of civil rights protesters by British soldiers.
He will also announce a grant of €45,000 from his anti-sectarianism fund to support Derry City Football Club’s football in the community initiative.
Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew may press counterpart Brendan Smith on compensation for Northern Ireland farmers who gave their animals contaminated feed from Co Carlow in the Republic in the autumn.
Harmonising rules on motoring laws are also likely to be considered.
Also present at today’s plenary session will be the Tánaiste Mary Coughlan, Minister for Tourism Martin Cullen, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey, and Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin.
This is the first time a North/South plenary session has been held in Derry, home town of Sinn Féin’s Mr McGuinness. The area has been badly affected by job losses with plants like Seagate Technology in Limavady shedding hundreds of posts.
Earlier this month, Mr Robinson questioned the role of the North-South Ministerial Council, which examines all-Ireland issues.
The council was established under the Belfast Agreement and modified by the St Andrews Agreement that paved the way to devolution in 2007.
Additional reporting PA