15 Oct 2019, 15:17
The British Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA) will meet at the Marriot Forest of Arden Hotel in Warwickshire on Monday and Tuesday next, 21 and 22 October, for its 59th plenary session.
Speakers to include:
- Rt Hon Julian Smith MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
- Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP, Minister for Europe and the Americas, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Ambassador Adrian O’Neill, Ambassador of Ireland to the United Kingdom
- Rt Hon Emily Thornberry MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
- Michael Russel MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations, Scottish Government
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. The Assembly’s mission is to promote co-operation between political representatives in Britain and Ireland for the benefit of the people they represent. It meets twice a year to on the close relationships established in recent years and discuss issues of mutual interest to Ireland and the UK.
Speaking in advance of the plenary, British Co-Chair Andrew Rosindell MP said: “I am pleased to welcome our colleagues from Ireland and throughout the United Kingdom and crown dependencies to Warwickshire for the 59th BIPA Plenary. As we near the date when the UK leaves the European Union, it is vital that we do all we can to ensure that our parliaments maintain good relations, and work together to investigate key issues affecting all of us. BIPA has a crucial role to play in this and I look forward to discussing how we can safeguard the hard fought friendship of our nations. I also welcome speakers including the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Shadow Foreign Secretary and Irish Ambassador to the UK, and am eager to hear their perspective on future UK-Irish relations.”
Irish Co-Chair, Seán Crowe TD, said: “The strengthening of relationships is vital to ensure positive British Irish relations as we navigate our way through the period after October 31. For almost thirty years since its establishment in 1990, BIPA, has been central to the deepening of bonds between our nations and this co-operation will continue in the coming days at Warwickshire. I hope the debates and discussions between members at this Plenary will help to improve these ties and relations beyond Brexit.”