Sinn Fein set to defy Trimble ban
Sinn Fein ministers Martin McGuinness and Bairbre de Brun are expected to defy David Trimble's ban on them meeting their Government counterparts.
The Stormont Education and Health ministers are due to meet Education Minister Michael Woods and Health Minister Micheal Martin in Dublin to discuss matters of "mutual concern".
The Sinn Fein ministers are also pressing for the removal of the ban on their attendance at meetings of the North-South Ministerial Council.
Today's meeting is not a council appointment but Bairbre de Brun said it would still enable her and Mr McGuinness to carry out important work affecting ministries on both sides of the Irish border.
"The work we are involved in through the health and education sectorial meetings is vitally important to everyone on this island," she said.
"We need to remove the blockage created by David Trimble so that we can get on with the important work we were mandated to carry out."
Mr McGuinness and Ms de Brun were banned in November by Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble from attending NSMC meetings with their Irish counterparts following an emergency meeting of his party's ruling council.
A judicial review in the Belfast High Court in January ruled in favour of Mr McGuinness and Ms de Brun's favour, declaring the ban illegal.
Mr Trimble has yet to lift the sanction, arguing the judgment enables him to withhold the nomination of ministers to NSMC meetings if he believes they are unsuitable to attend the executive.
