Committees

Committee visits Dublin, Belfast and Derry/Londonderry for UK-Irish relations follow up

25 January 2018

The European Union Committee undertakes a visit to Dublin, Belfast and Derry/Londonderry next week for its follow-up inquiry into UK-Irish relations.

Witnesses

In Dublin on 30 January, the Committee will hear evidence from:

  • At 9:15am: Eoin O'Neill, President, British Irish Chamber of Commerce, Danny McCoy, CEO, Ibec and Aidan Flynn, General Manager, FTA Ireland
  • At 1.45pm: Rodney Doyle, Director, Market Operations & General Manager, SEMO and Padraig Slyne, Public Affairs, EirGrid, Dr Ann Hogan, President, Irish Medical Association; Joe Healy, President, Irish Farmers Association
  • At 4.00pm: Dr Mary C Murphy, Lecturer in Politics, Department of Government, University College Cork; Professor John Doyle, Director of the Institute for International Conflict Resolution and Reconstruction, Dublin City University; Professor Gavin Barrett, Jean Monnet Professor of European Constitutional and Economic Law, University College Dublin

In Belfast on 31 January, the Committee will hear evidence from:

  • At 9.45am: Tina McKenzie, Federation of Small Businesses; Wesley Aston, Chief Executive, Ulster Farmers Union; Maurice Bullick, Finance Director, Belfast Harbour Commissioners
  • At 11.00am: George Hamilton QPM, Chief Constable, PSNI
  • At 12.15pm: Michelle O'Neill MLA, Sinn Féin Leader in the Northern Ireland Assembly
  • At 3.00pm: Ruth Taillon, Director, Centre for Cross Border Studies; Gina McIntyre, Chief Executive, Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB)
  • At 4.00pm: Dr Katy Hayward, Reader in Sociology, Queen's University Belfast; Professor Neil Gibson, Chief Economist – Ireland, Ernst and Young LLP; Professor Duncan Morrow, Lecturer in Politics, Ulster University
  • At 5.00pm: Sammy Wilson MP, DUP Shadow Spokesperson (Brexit)

In Derry on 1 February, the Committee will hear evidence from:

  • At 8.00am: John Kelpie, Chief Executive and Michael Gallagher, Economist, Derry City and Strabane District Council, Jennifer McKeever, President, Londonderry Chambers of Commerce and John O'Connell, Programme Director, Optum Ireland

Although it is not possible to webcast these meetings, transcripts for all sessions will be available on the website the following week.

During the course of the visit, the Committee will also meet political leaders and parliamentarians, and will visit businesses, stakeholders and service providers, on both sides of the border.

Issues

  • The implications for UK-Irish relations of the December Joint Report on progress made during the phase 1 Brexit negotiations
  • The key priorities and issues to be addressed in relation to Ireland and Northern Ireland in phase 2 of the negotiations
  • The status of the Irish land border, and options for maintaining frictionless cross-border trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland
  • The extent to which the views of both the unionist and nationalist communities in Northern Ireland are being taken into account during the Brexit negotiations
  • The impact of the continuing Brexit negotiations on North-South and East-West relations.

Further information

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