Ireland visit to strengthen Holyrood 'Celtic Connections'
078/2006 | 13 October 2006
Links between Scotland and Ireland will become the focus for a group of MSPs today as they depart for Ireland.
Presiding Officer George Reid MSP will be accompanied by six MSPs during the visit to Ireland, from 13 to 19 October, to examine regeneration projects, cultural links and parliamentary ties.
As part of the visit, the Presiding Officer will give a keynote address on Scottish-Irish links and 21st century democracy at the Royal Irish Academy, co-hosted by the Centre for Irish-Scottish Studies, Trinity College, Dublin and the Royal Irish Academy on 17 October.
Together with MSPs Shiona Baird, Dennis Canavan, Maureen Macmillan, Jim Mather, Dave Petrie and Iain Smith, the Presiding Officer is undertaking the visit to examine ways in which Scotland and Ireland can cooperate in areas of common interest and strengthen the relationship between the Irish and Scottish Parliaments.
The delegation will meet with fellow politicians in the Irish Parliament, the Oireachtas, to discuss how the two countries can benefit from closer workings between the two parliaments.
Speaking of the importance of the close ties between Ireland and Scotland, George Reid said:
"Our countries have much in common. We share common history, common language, common culture and we are both small countries now operating in a global market place.
"As a consequence there is considerable scope for co-operation projects in areas such as European funding, cultural exchange, tourism, sport, education and transport, with significant potential for social and economic benefits for each country."
The itinerary includes meetings to discuss areas of mutual interest including economic development, sustainable energy, rural regeneration and closer Scottish-Irish cooperation on European funding assistance.
While in Ireland the delegation will meet the Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern and President of Ireland Mary McAleese, as well as attending sittings of the Oireachtas.
The MSPs will also visit regeneration projects with Scottish links in County Donegal and the historic tombs at Brú na Bóinne (Palace of the Boyne ) in County Meath, before journeying to Dublin.
The cross party delegation are travelling to Ireland as guests of the Ceann Comhairle (speaker) of Dáil Éireann, Dr Rory O'Hanlon TD, who visited Holyrood as part of a delegation from the Oireachtas in March 2004.
View full programme details.
Background Notes
A recent report by the European and External Relations committee urged the Scottish Executive to give greater priority to introducing a programme of co-operation between Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The report, published in June 2006 and debated in the Chamber in October, identified EU funding as an area for potential co-operation, as well as support for the re-establishment of the ferry services from Campbeltown to Ballycastle and improving road and rail links from Stranraer and Cairnryan to east coast ports, including Rosyth.
Other recent events linking Ireland and Scotland include a visit to Holyrood from a delegation from Ireland's Oireachtas in February and a meeting of the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body in Edinburgh in November 2005.
The British-Irish Interparliamentary Body brings together parliamentarians from Irish, Westminster and other UK legislatures to discuss items of common concern.
For further information, the Scottish Parliament media contact is:
Sally Coyne: 0131 348 6265
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email: sally.coyne@scottish.parliament.uk
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