The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney, visited Derry today to address the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce President’s Lunch and meet with businesses and regional representatives in Derry and the North West region.
The Tánaiste also met with civil society groups in the city and visited the Museum of Free Derry.
Speaking after the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce event, the Tánaiste said:
I was very pleased to address the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce today to outline the Government’s priorities and engagement to address the risks of Brexit for the island of Ireland, and also on working with the British Government and the political parties in Northern Ireland to find a way beyond the current impasse with the devolved institutions.
I also met directly with a broad range of businesses and with regional representatives at the Chamber event. We discussed concerns around Brexit, the pressing need to get the devolved institutions operating again, and regional development issues in the North West.
We also spoke about the impact of Brexit on organisations in the North West region, and what businesses have been doing to ensure they are Brexit-ready, as well as progress on a number of regional issues. It was a really useful opportunity to update members of the Chamber on progress in the EU-UK negotiations and to outline the Government’s key priorities in that process.
I encouraged representatives at the Chamber event to stay engaged on Brexit issues, and I look forward to their continued participation in stakeholder engagement opportunities over the coming months. This forms an important part of the Government’s approach to the Brexit negotiations.
The Tánaiste also visited the Londonderry Bands Forum at their centre at Newgate Street. He met with members of the Bands Forum and also with representatives of An Cultúrlann, who are working in partnership through the Droichead programme.
Speaking after the visit, the Tánaiste said:
I was delighted to visit the Londonderry Bands Forum at their centre today and to hear about their positive work. I was very interested to hear also about the fruitful partnership between the Bands Forum and An Cultúrlann in Derry, on delivering cross-community and cross-cultural activities. The cooperation between these organisations highlights the degree to which work by community organisations in Derry can be a model for reconciliation efforts elsewhere.
My Department has supported both organisations through the Reconciliation Fund and will continue to engage with both groups to facilitate further collaboration within Northern Ireland and beyond.
The Tánaiste also visited the Bloody Sunday Trust Museum and met with relatives of those who were killed in 1972 and the directors and staff of the Bloody Sunday Trust.
Speaking after his visit, the Tánaiste said:
I was glad to have the opportunity to visit the Museum of Free Derry today, which offers a fitting memorial to those who lost their lives on Bloody Sunday in 1972 and has helped to ensure that the history of that hugely difficult period is recorded and displayed in a meaningful way.
The Irish Government was pleased to contribute to the impressive new museum building which performs a vital role in educating and informing younger generations about this period in the history of this island.