Minister Flanagan marks ‘new chapter’ in Irish-Scottish relations
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charlie Flanagan visited Scotland on 5-6 February for a programme of political meetings and business and cultural events, marking a ‘new chapter’ in Irish-Scottish relations.
He met with Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, with Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, and with Secretary of State for Scotland, Alistair Carmichael, to discuss key topics in the Irish-Scottish and Irish-British relationship.
On the evening of 5 February Minister Flanagan delivered an address entitled “Irish-Scottish Relations: A New Chapter”, at the Europa Institute of the University of Edinburgh. This speech focused on Ireland’s recently announced Foreign Policy review, The Global Island, the potential for increased trade between Ireland and Scotland, and the benefits of EU membership. The full text of his speech is available here.
Minister Flanagan highlighted the Yeats 2015 initiative – a programme of events in Ireland and worldwide celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of WB Yeats. He opened an exhibition on Yeats’ life and works, which will be displayed at several locations in Scotland in the coming weeks. If you wish to learn more about this exhibition, please contact us.
On 6 February Minister Flanagan met with three Enterprise Ireland client companies that operate in Scotland: AGEC, Coastway Surveys, and Clandillon Consulting, all expanding companies in the geo-surveying and engineering sectors. He emphasised the importance of Ireland and Scotland’s economic and trading relationship, and the Government’s commitment to further improving this activity, including through more ministerial visits in the coming months.
Subsequently Minister Flanagan visited the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh where he met with NMS Director Dr Gordon Rintoul. He toured highlights of the collections, with a special emphasis on items with Irish links which range from the Early Peoples exhibit up to the nineteenth century, and discussed ongoing cooperation between NMS and counterparts in Ireland.
