9 Meith 2011, 17:48
Fine Gael Deputy for Donegal North-East, Joe McHugh TD, has been appointed as the new Irish Co-Chairperson of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly. Deputy McHugh's appointment comes ahead of the 42nd plenary of the Assembly, which takes place Monday and Tuesday 13-14 June in the Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork.
Speaking today after his appointment by An Taoiseach as Co-Chairperson, Deputy Joe McHugh said: “The British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly must build on the symbolism of Queen Elizabeth II’s recent visit to Ireland to develop real and practical commercial measures that will drive economic growth in Britain and Ireland.
“I will use my new position as Co-Chairperson of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly to meaningfully harness the goodwill that the Royal visit has generated. Britain and Ireland must work very closely together at commercial and trade levels to overcome the severe economic difficulties facing our countries.
“Cross-community and cross-channel links offer Britain and Ireland a route out of recession, and I will be focused as Co-Chairperson on ensuring that the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly is a worthwhile vehicle for driving this agenda.
“The presence of An Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly plenary meeting next week is a real endorsement of the value of the Assembly and its potential for the coming years. I look forward to working with my counterpart Lord Cope of Berkeley though the challenging times ahead.”
Note: The plenary will be addressed on Monday morning by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD who will discuss the plenary’s theme of “Employment and Economic Recovery.” Other speakers will include Frank Daly, Chairman of the National Asset Management Agency, Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Peter Byrne, CEO of the newly formed British Irish Chamber of Commerce, and Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland. The Assembly will also discuss a motion on the murder of PSNI officer Ronan Kerr.
The provisional agenda for the conference is:
British Irish Parliamentary Assembly – 42nd Plenary Session
Monday 13 – Tuesday 14 June, Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork
Monday 13 June
9.15am: Address by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Simon Coveney TD
9.30am: The Economy and the Export Sector – Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland
11.45am: The Economy – An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD
3.00pm: Motion on the murder of PSNI officer Ronan Kerr
4.00pm: Tourism and the Economy – Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland
Tuesday 14 June
10.30am: Address from the CEO of the newly formed British Irish Chamber of Commerce, Peter Byrne
11.15am: Address from the Chairman of the National Asset Management Agency, Frank Daly
Media outlets are welcome to attend or send a representative to the plenary. Those attending are requested to contact Ronan Farren, Q4 Public Relations (contact details below), for further information, accreditation and to make the necessary arrangements.
ENDS - For more info please contact Ronan Farren, Q4 Public Relations, +353 1 475 1444 / +353 87 934 0386 / ronan@q4pr.ie
*The British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (formerly the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body) was established in 1990 as a link between members of the Houses of Parliament and the Houses of the Oireachtas. In recent years, membership has been expanded to include representatives of 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. Two plenary sessions, attended by 68 members and associates, are held every year alternately in Britain and Ireland with ongoing work by four Committees.
www.britishirish.org