Three Government Ministers met a senior SDLP delegation in Dublin yesterday to highlight continuing work on cross-Border co-operation, despite the suspension of the institutions set up by the Belfast Agreement.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said afterwards he would discuss the concept of an all-Ireland free travel pass for pensioners with Northern Secretary Peter Hain when he met him next Thursday.
Yesterday's meeting also discussed a proposal to eliminate "roaming" charges for mobile phone-users who travel between North and South.
It was resolved to pursue the prospect of reopening the Ulster Canal, which if operational would allow boat trips from Limerick to Lough Neagh.
As the two governments and the North's political parties continue to await an IRA response to demands that it end all paramilitary and criminal activities permanently and put all of its weapons beyond use, yesterday's meeting was designed to suggest that political activity is continuing, despite the hiatus.
Mr Ahern was accompanied by Minister for Transport Martin Cullen and Minister for the Environment Dick Roche at the meeting. SDLP leader Mark Durkan was accompanied by senior negotiator Seán Farren, Patsy McGlone and John Dallat.
Mr Ahern told reporters that, in the absence of the North's political institutions including the North/South ministerial bodies, it was important to continue to press forward with cross-Border initiatives.
The "stop-start" operation of the Belfast Agreement had made it difficult to have continuity in North/South developments, and "the sooner we get back to real politics the better".
A spokesman said the British government was open to the idea of a cross-Border travel pass.
Mr Ahern said the message of the meeting to both unionist and nationalist voters was that they should "see the actual benefits of greater co-operation, North and South".
Mr Farren said: "We believe it is very important to develop an all-Ireland infrastructure so that the region west of the Bann does not get left behind."