The British-Irish Council has reiterated its support for devolved government in Northern Ireland following a meeting in the Isle of Man yesterday.
In a communique following the meeting which was attended by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Tánaiste Mary Harney, the council said it "recognised the ongoing commitment of the two governments to the full implementation of the Good Friday agreement and noted the re-engagement with the political parties in Northern Ireland with a view to moving the peace process decisively forward.
"The council looked forward to the restoration of the devolved institutions, established under the agreement, as soon as possible," the communique said.
The meeting which was also attended by British deputy prime minister John Prescott mainly focused on telemedicine.
Telemedicine involves using information and communications technology to allow doctors and consultants to communicate remotely with patients in rural areas.
Members of the council are to co-operate in examining various issues such as how patient records can be stored and transmitted safely in electronic format, and how medical services via the internet can be quality assured.
The council also discussed Sellafield and agreed it was an area of concern.