North-South Ministerial Council is a political body that addresses matters of concern to the entire island of Ireland. It brings together government representatives from the independent Republic of Ireland in the south and from Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. The council deals with issues in such areas as agriculture, education, the environment, and health. Its decisions are subject to the approval of the Irish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly, an elected body that has jurisdiction over most local affairs.
The North-South Ministerial Council was established by the 1998 Northern Ireland political settlement. This agreement aimed at ending violence between Irish nationalists and unionists over control of Northern Ireland. Through the years, the nationalists have wanted Northern Ireland to become part of the Republic of Ireland, but the unionists have favored keeping Northern Ireland part of the United Kingdom. Creation of the council met some of the goals of both groups. For example, it gave the nationalists an all-island institution. But it also provided the unionists with a way to cooperate with the Republic of Ireland without unification.
