Irish & British Parliamentarians to assess political developments in Northern Ireland & the implications for Ireland of a possible UK exit from the EU

Irish & British Parliamentarians to assess political developments in Northern Ireland & the implications for Ireland of a possible UK exit from the EU

The implications of a possible “Brexit” for Ireland and the ongoing talks in Northern Ireland will be among the key issues for debate by Irish and British parliamentarians when they meet in Cheltenham on Monday and Tuesday next week.

12th November 2015

Emma Pengelly MLA and John O’Dowd MLA, representing the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP will open the next meeting of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA) atCheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire with an update on the ongoing talks.

Dominic Hannigan TD, Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on EU Affairs, will open the debate on the implications of a possible “Brexit” for Ireland with an address on his Committee’s report on “UK/EU Future Relationship: Implications for Ireland”, with a corresponding address by the UK’s Minister for Europe David Lidington MP.

The Assembly will also receive an update on policing in a joint presentation by George Hamilton QPM, Chief Constable of Northern Ireland, PSNI, and Nóirín O’Sullivan, Commissioner of An Garda Síochána.

Irish Co-Chair Frank Feighan TD says: “The Irish Members of BIPA welcome the opportunity to come together with our colleagues from across the British Isles to discuss a range of pivotal issues relating to Anglo-Irish relations. We are hopeful that the ongoing talks in Northern Ireland will conclude positively and we wish all parties involved the very best in their ongoing engagement. I commend them all on their demonstrable commitment to reach an agreement and secure the future of Northern Ireland.”

“Our focus at this 51st Plenary will be on continuing to foster political cooperation across our islands and cementing the close bonds that exist between us on issues such as national security and our common relationship with the EU. Horse racing will be another key theme as it is without doubt a sport in which Britain and Ireland share very close ties. The Irish racing industry is valued at approximately €1 billion and Britain is the largest market in the world for Irish bloodstock.  It is vital that we continue to build on this solid relationship and encourage its growth and development.”

Laurence Robertson MP, British Co-Chair of the Association, says: “I look forward to welcoming members of BIPA to my constituency at the Cheltenham racecourse, with members attending from the UK, Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. This is one of the world's top horse racing venues and the sport is, of course, very important to both the UK and Ireland.”

“We will be discussing a number of very important issues at the Assembly meeting, such as the political and security situations in Northern Ireland, as well as the on-going relationship between the UK and Ireland and the future of the relationship between the UK and the EU.”

/ENDS

Notes to eds:

The 51st Plenary of the British Irish Assembly will take place at Cheltenham Racecourse, Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th November 2015.
For more information access www.britishirish.org  Updates will appear online throughout the course of the Plenary.

Follow the BIPA twitter channel for updates: @BritishIrishPA

Media enquiries to:

Dublin: Nuala Walsh: +353 86 410 0898 /  nuala.walsh@oireachtas.ie                       

London: Jessica Bridges Palmer: +44 7917 488 489 / bridgespalmerj@parliament.uk

About the Assembly
The Assembly's mission is to promote co-operation between political representatives in Britain and Ireland for the benefit of the people they represent. BIPA’s membership includes representatives from the UK Parliament, the Houses of the Oireachtas, the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Welsh Assembly, the High Court of Tynwald (Isle of Man) and the States of Guernsey and Jersey.

Programme of events:

MONDAY 16 NOVEMBER 2015

9.00 am:

1. ADOPTION OF PROPOSED PROGRAMME OF BUSINESS AND BRIEF
    INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS BY CO-CHAIRS

2. ADDRESSES BY REPS OF MINISTERS OF THE NORTHERN IRELAND EXECUTIVE  Emma Pengelly MLA and John O’Dowd MLA, representing the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland respectively, will address the Assembly and respond to questions. 

At 10.15 am
3. ADDRESS BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND
    Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP will address the Assembly and respond to questions. 

At 11.00 am

4. HORSE RACING IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND: PANEL DISCUSSION
    Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horseracing Ireland, and Nick Rust, Chief Executive of the British Horseracing Authority, will address the Assembly and respond to questions.

At 12.00 am

5. ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER FOR EUROPE
    Rt Hon David Lidington MP, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, will address the Assembly and respond to questions.

At 2.30 pm

5. POLICING NORTH AND SOUTH
George Hamilton QPM, Chief Constable of Northern Ireland, PSNI, and Nóirín O’Sullivan, Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, will give a joint presentation to the Assembly and respond to questions.

At 3.30 pm

6. IRELAND, THE UK AND THE EUROPEAN UNION
Dominic Hannigan TD, Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on EU Affairs, will address the Assembly on his Committee’s report on “UK/EU Future Relationship: Implications for Ireland”and respond to questions.
There will follow a political debate on the following motion to be moved by Mr Andrew Rosindell, Chair of Committee B (European Affairs):
That the Assembly has considered the matter of future relations between the UK and Ireland following the UK referendum on its membership of the EU.

TUESDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2015

9.30 am

7. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CROWN DEPENDENCIES AND THE UK
 There will be a short presentation on behalf of the three Crown Dependencies (Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man), followed by questions.         
        
8.  COMMITTEE REPORTS, ETC

•    PROGRESS REPORT FROM COMMITTEE A (SOVEREIGN MATTERS)
•    PROGRESS REPORT FROM COMMITTEE B (EUROPEAN AFFAIRS)
•    PRESENTATION OF REPORT FROM COMMITTEE C (ECONOMIC) ON YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT, AND PROGRESS REPORT
•    PRESENTATION OF REPORT FROM COMMITTEE D (ENVIRONMENT & SOCIAL) ON IRISH COMMUNITIES IN SCOTLAND, AND PROGRESS REPORT
•    GOVERNMENT RESPONSES TO COMMITTEE REPORTS