Coakley, JohnJohnCoakley2010-08-202010-08-20The author20051649-0304http://hdl.handle.net/10197/2417Paper presented at the conference on “Implementing the agreement: the North-South bodies five years on” organised by the Institute for British-Irish Studies as part of the Mapping frontiers, plotting pathways programme, University Industry Centre, University College Dublin, 27 May 2005The North-South bodies established in 1999 represent the third attempt since partition to establish a structured, formal basis for cooperation between the two parts of the island. This paper looks at the bodies from three perspectives. First, it examines the general historical background: the prehistory of Irish partition, the development of partition up to 1998, and the new system agreed at that point. Second, it provides a brief overview of the present arrangements for the North-South bodies. Third, it seeks to generalise about the future prospects of the bodies by examining the presumed long-term goals and priorities of the British and Irish governments and of the Northern Irish parties.103520 bytesapplication/pdfenPartitionNorthern IrelandIrelandInstitutionsIntergovernmental cooperation--IrelandIntergovernmental cooperation--Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland--Politics and government--1994-Ireland--History--Partition, 1921Working Paperhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/1.0/