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Presiding Officer to highlight Scots-Irish connections in Royal Irish Academy speech

079/2006 | 16 October 2006 

Presiding Officer George Reid

Presiding Officer George Reid MSP will tomorrow highlight the growing links between Ireland and Scotland when he addresses assembled delegates at the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin.

Commenting on reactions so far during a six day visit to Ireland, Mr Reid said:

"Politicians, businessmen and community representatives in this booming country have all stressed that they want to strengthen their links with us. They are particularly interested in new EU funding structures which, from 2007, would allow Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland to work together in future joint programmes.

"The key areas are in economic growth - the clustering of small companies working in IT and renewables, for example - in tourism, and in the heritage and community development sectors."

A report in June by Dennis Canavan MSP for the European and External Affairs Committee stressed the support, within the Northern Ireland peace process, for an East-West cooperation strand involving Scotland as well as the North-South cross-border strand. He also noted strong interest in Scottish measures to eradicate sectarianism.

The report, which was debated in Parliament in October, identified the new EU tri-lateral Cooperation Objective as a source of funding.

Background

Tuesday's lecture by the Presiding Officer will be co-hosted by the Centre for Irish-Scottish Studies, Trinity College Dublin and the Royal Irish Academy and entitled: 'Celtic Connections' Scottish-Irish links and Twenty-First Century Democracy.

Presiding Officer George Reid and Dr Rory O'Hanlon during his visit to the Scottish Parliament in 2004

The Presiding Officer is accompanied by six MSPs during his six day visit (13-19 October), travelling as guests of the Ceann Comhairle - Dr Rory O'Hanlon TD, who visited the Parliament as part of a delegation from the Oireachtas in March 2004.

The delegation comprises MSPs Shiona Baird, Dennis Canavan, Maureen Macmillan, Jim Mather, Dave Petrie and Iain Smith.

During the visit they will be meeting Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, President of Ireland Mary McAleese and attending sittings of the Oireachtas, as well as visiting regeneration projects in County Donegal, Trinity College and Bru na Boinne in County Meath.

Full programme details

See also:

News release: Parliamentary committee urges closer co-operation with Ireland

Presiding Officer I MSPs

For further information, the Scottish Parliament media contact is:

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email: sally.coyne@scottish.parliament.uk

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