British Irish Parliamentary Assembly to meet in Druid’s Glen, Wicklow

On Monday, the session will feature addresses by Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, Richard Bruton TD, as well as His Excellency Robin Barnett, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ireland.

On Tuesday, Representatives from the National Youth Council of Ireland will address the Assembly on their work on Sustainable Development Goals (including environmental protection) and respond to questions. The various BIPA Committees will also brief the Assembly on their work.

A detailed draft programme can be found here

BIPA is formed of members of the Houses of the Oireachtas, Houses of Parliament, Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales, Northern Ireland Assembly, High Court of Tynwald (Isle of Man) and the States of Guernsey and Jersey. It meets twice a year to promote co-operation between political representatives in Britain and Ireland and build on the close relationships established in recent years.

Speaking in advance of the plenary, Irish Co-Chair, Seán Crowe TD, said: “I look forward to welcoming the members of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly to Wicklow on Monday as we meet to foster the close and mutually beneficial ties that exist across our islands. We look forward to a plenary that will discuss a wide range of issues relating to Brexit, the environment and how to promote cooperation North and South as well as between the island of Ireland and Britain.”

British Co-Chair Andrew Rosindell MP also commented, “

“International collaboration is vital to address the growing crisis of climate change, and I am pleased this will be a central theme of the 58th BIPA plenary next week in Wicklow. We welcome leading figures in the fields of environmental protection and climate action to address the assembly, including Laura Burke, Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency Ireland, Dr Stephen Hynes of the National University of Ireland and Professor Melanie Austen of Plymouth Marine Laboratory. Recent months have seen young people taking a more active role in tackling the challenges of our future, and I am pleased to be welcoming the National Youth Council in Ireland to speak to us about their work on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. I hope BIPA’s facilitation of knowledge sharing will promote close collaboration across Britain and Ireland on actions to address these pressing issues.

“Of course Brexit and the implications for the land border on the island of Ireland remain considerations for BIPA. We will be hearing from H.E. Robin Barnett, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ireland, on British-Irish diplomatic relations, and the assembly will debate recent political developments. I look forward to discussing these issues with colleagues from Ireland, all the nations of the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies.”

The BIPA plenary will be held in Druid’s Glen Hotel, Co. Wicklow. Media outlets are welcome to attend or send a representative to the plenary. Those attending are requested to contact Nuala Walsh and / or Nina Foster (details below) for accreditation.

• Houses of the Oireachtas Press Office: Nuala Walsh +353 86 410 0898 / nuala.walsh@oireachtas.ie

• House of Commons Press Office: Nina Foster + 07917 488 791 / fostern@parliament.uk