merrion street

Minister will also meet organisations promoting reconciliation in Armagh

Minister Flanagan will visit Armagh and Newry tomorrow (Wednesday) for a series of business and community meetings.
In Newry, he will meet with a broad range of business interests to discuss the implications of the UK decision to leave the EU. His engagements in Armagh will focus on reconciliation projects.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Minister Flanagan said “My visit to Newry is part of the Irish Government’s ongoing outreach and engagement with business leaders and communities in Northern Ireland to hear first-hand their views on the impact of Brexit. I had a productive visit to Derry last week and I look forward to visiting Newry and discussing the Government’s approach to the very real challenges that lie ahead.”
The Minister added:
“While there is no doubt that a UK departure from the EU poses serious challenges which will impact on the lives of all of the people of this island, the Irish Government is clear about its steadfast commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and to reconciliation. We are responding to the desire for a broad conversation with civic society on these matters and my visits to Northern Ireland along with the upcoming All-Island Civic Dialogue in Dublin on 2nd November are key parts of our approach to this engagement.”
During his visit, Minister Flanagan will also meet with a number of organisations promoting peace building and reconciliation with support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Reconciliation Fund, including Peaceful Futures South Armagh; the Centre for Cross Border Studies; and Armagh’s Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich Memorial Library and Archive. At the Library he will meet Archbishop Eamonn Martin, the Chairman of the Library’s Board of Trustees.
Minister Flanagan said:
“It is really important to acknowledge the vital and ongoing work on reconciliation being carried out by organisations across the island. Building reconciliation is a complex and multi-faceted endeavour. I am looking forward to hearing about the contribution our partner organisations make to a peaceful, reconciled and forward-looking society and the support they need from wider society in this vital work.”

ENDS

Press Office
25 October 2016

Notes for Editors:
The Reconciliation Fund has been in existence since 1982 and was increased significantly following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. All parties to that Agreement undertook to “positively examine the case for enhanced financial assistance for the work of reconciliation.”
As a result the Irish Government has provided increased support through the Reconciliation Fund since 1998. In the 2014 Stormont House Agreement, the Government committed to “support measures to promote reconciliation, including through continued annual provision of €2.7m in the Reconciliation Fund”.
More information and application forms can be found at www.dfa.ie/reconciliation
On Friday, 21st October, Minister Flanagan addressed the Derry Chamber of Commerce on Brexit, see: https://www.dfa.ie/news-and-media/speeches/speeches-archive/2016/october/min-flanagan-chamber-of-commerce-derry-address/