Good afternoon co-chairs, members of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly, fellow parliamentarians, ladies and gentlemen.
I am delighted to be with you today for the 44th Plenary meeting of the BIPA. I remember how pleased I was to be able to meet you at the Plenary in Cork in June last year and I want to thank you for taking the time from your busy political lives to come to Dublin to engage with British Irish issues.
I would like to welcome the new members who have been appointed to the Assembly since then. In particular, I would like to congratulate the new co-chair, Laurence Robertson M.P. and to thank him and Deputy Joe McHugh for their hard work in organising this conference.
Role of BIPA
I know from my own time as a member of the association the importance of the work of the BIPA. Now that I am Taoiseach I can see very clearly the contribution you continue to make in support of peace, prosperity reconciliation and political friendships and understanding between these islands. My recent visit to the House of Lords for an all party gathering to mark St Patrick’s Day reminded me of the great friendships that exist and the opportunity – and perhaps the responsibility - we now have to build on those relations – to reimagine them and to find new practical ways which creates a better future together for all the people of these islands.
In the more than twenty years since it was first established as the British Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body, the hallmark of your work has been leadership in building trust as you forged friendships, fostered dialogue and deepened understanding between parliamentarians across these islands.
BIPA has played – and must continue to play - a key role in the ongoing process of reconciliation and cooperation which has changed the future for a generation of young people on these islands. You are right to be proud of what your predecessors have achieved.
To existing and younger members of BIPA I would say – be ambitious for the role you have to play in securing that legacy and in charting a course for BIPA in securing peace, reconciliation and recovery in these changing times.
I am particularly heartened to see representatives of the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Isle of Man and the States of Guernsey and Jersey. Part of the strength of BIPA lies in its diversity, and that it brings together individuals from such a variety of political backgrounds, working together on matters of mutual concern.
We should be cautious when describing any period of history as momentous and unique. But it is inarguable that the past year has marked a turning point in British-Irish relations. In the coming week we will mark the first anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Ireland. By any standard, the events of those four days were groundbreaking. The visit was and is a source of great pride for all the people of these islands. It was an important signifier of the mutual understanding built up between our nations, as well as an acknowledgement of the always close relationship which we have shared throughout history.
It was also the culmination of years, even decades, of quiet, patient but intensive work by individuals and organisations, including BIPA, in building relations and deepening understanding between the people of these islands.
It was an emotional time for everyone involved, and it offered up many moments and images that will live on and doubtless find a place in the history books. The symbolic marking of our shared past at the Garden of Remembrance and at the memorial to Ireland’s World War dead at Islandbridge brought together all the strands of history, and will enable us to create a new future as partners and equals.
The coming decade will provide further opportunities to reflect together on our shared history, as we commemorate a series of events which led to the foundation of this state and redefined the totality of relationships across these islands.
If anyone should doubt the depth of the connections between British and Irish history, they need only look to the centenary of the introduction of the Third Home Rule Bill to Westminster, which we marked last month.
The centenary is marked in the exhibition organised by the Northern Ireland Office, which I saw in Westminster Hall in March and which currently on display in Leinster House. This was a time when “the Irish Question” dominated the political agenda in London. The debates on the Bill set the context for the decade of unprecedented change which followed. As we remember those events in the coming years – and I know that this is a matter which BIPA is currently addressing – we should do so, together, in a spirit of historical accuracy, mutual respect, inclusiveness and reconciliation.
Since Her Majesty’s visit, we have also seen further concrete examples of deepening cooperation, and the close relationship between Britain and Ireland. In January of this year, the Standing Secretariat of the British Irish Council was finally established in Edinburgh, an important milestone in the full implementation of the St. Andrews Agreement. In February, President Higgins travelled to London, his first overseas visit as President.
Joint Statement with PM Cameron
And in March, I met with Prime Minister Cameron in London, where we had a comprehensive discussion on the future direction of British-Irish relations.
The statement issued after the summit sets out our priorities for cooperation in the years ahead. Indeed, the statement itself was a milestone; it was the first joint British-Irish statement that was not wholly or primarily concerned with Northern Ireland.
It is because we have come so far within the Peace Process that we can now look with a fresh eye on the totality of British-Irish relations, and identify new and previously unexplored areas of mutual interest and cooperation.
We joined the then EEC together in 1973. Our cooperation in Europe over four decades has helped to create an improved context for dialogue between Dublin and London, as the two Governments worked closely together to pursue shared objectives on the EU agenda.
The EU has also been a key supporter of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, both in providing funding for cross-community and cross-border initiatives to promote reconciliation, and by maintaining international attention and political support.
We will continue to work together as partners in the European Union, including during Ireland’s Presidency of the EU Council in the first half of 2013. We agree on the importance of encouraging an outward-facing EU which promotes jobs and growth, and we shall cooperate to pursue shared objectives including the strengthening of the Single Market and the reduction of the burden of regulation on business. A strong partnership between Britain and Ireland, within a strong European Union, is in all our interests.
Throughout the Eurozone crisis, I have consistently argued that Europe needs to develop a growth and jobs strategy alongside these new rules.
We must put a real focus on the potential of the single European market for the creation of jobs for our people.
I am pleased to say that, following pressure from several heads of government including myself, growth and jobs have now become central to the agenda of the European Council.
This argument is being accepted by more and more governments and I welcome all statements by other leaders who support Ireland’s view that a growth strategy is an essential ingredient for European economic recovery.
I welcome the fact that an informal meeting of the heads of government will take place next week, the main purpose of which will be to intensify our efforts in this area.
We also share a commitment to effectively addressing global challenges, such as climate change, global hunger and poverty. We will work together in the UN and other international organisations to promote a more equitable international society.
Northern Ireland
Of course, both governments have an ongoing duty of care to the Peace Process in Northern Ireland. We continue to support the parties there in the full implementation of the Good Friday and St. Andrews Agreements.
The Good Friday Agreement was truly a significant and historic document. It is predicated on a number of fundamental principles.
Partnership, equality and mutual respect were not only contained in the aspirational, pre-ambular language of the Agreement but are present in real and tangible ways in the governmental structures established by the Agreement.
Almost 15 years on from the Agreements, it is important that we take stock and recognise what has been achieved. It is heartening to note now that the 5th anniversary of devolution took place just a week ago, on the 8th of May. The current Assembly and Executive were given a strong mandate in the last elections and a year on are collaborating effectively on improving the lives of all the people of Northern Ireland.
The joint statement of March outlined the commitment of the British and Irish governments to continue working closely with the Northern Ireland
Executive, and all parties, in promoting reconciliation and creating a cohesive, shared and integrated society in Northern Ireland. We have achieved peace, thanks to the shared determination of the overwhelming majority of the people of Northern Ireland never to allow a return to violence, and thanks to the excellent cooperation between the Gardaí and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
However much remains to be done if we are to achieve the reconciliation, tolerance and mutual trust reaffirmed in the Good Friday Agreement.
I look forward to the publication of a revised Cohesion, Sharing and Integration Strategy by the Executive that can help Northern Ireland move further along the path of true reconciliation.
Both governments and the Northern Ireland Executive face mutual challenges in generating sustainable growth that can ultimately lead to the job creation so desperately needed in all our economies. It is only logical that closer British-Irish economic cooperation is accompanied by deeper North-South economic cooperation to the mutual benefit of all our people.
This makes particular sense in the context of the budgetary constraints that confront us all.
We have to explore ways in which we can cooperate to reduce the costs of services and their delivery. Some steps have been taken in health and education, with the joint funding of the radiotherapy unit in Altnagelvin Hospital, and arrangements on schools access and transport, but more must be done across all sectors.
The very useful role played by BIPA would, I believe, be enhanced were agreement reached on the establishment of a North South Parliamentary Forum. I understand that work is continuing between the Assembly and the Oireachtas and I hope that agreement between them can be reached in the very near future.
Economic Cooperation
In these uncertain economic times, of course, the most difficult and most pressing responsibilities faced by any government are the creation of jobs and the fostering of economic growth. The March statement recognises the mutual dependence of the British and Irish economies, and stresses the need to work together in a range of areas to overcome the challenges we all face.
It is really only in recent years, as a consequence of the economic downturn, that Ireland and Britain have begun to better understand and appreciate the depth of our economic interrelationship.
Britain is Ireland’s most important economic partner, looking across the totality of trade, investment and tourism. And Ireland is a significant market for British exporters too, for example in relation to food, clothing and energy.
We know that €1 billion of trade in goods and services flows across the Irish Sea each week.
We know that our firms are major investors in each other’s economy and that many businesses treat Britain and Ireland as a single market.
Notwithstanding the globalisation of markets and companies, Britain remains the ‘market of first resort’ for indigenous Irish exporters. Half of Irish indigenous company exports go to Britain and half of Ireland’s employment is created in indigenous firms.
That is why the British market is so important.
It is also a growing market. Ireland’s goods exports to the UK increased by over €600 million in 2011, far greater, for example, than the growth in exports to the BRIC countries.
Or, to put it in more strategic terms, a tiny fall in our exports to the UK would wipe out those gains with the BRICs.
But beyond trade, investment and tourism the relationship has many dimensions; the flow of skills for example, in the vast numbers of Irish working in professional services or on the boards of British companies; the flow of capital in Irish investment in British business activities, construction, in UK shares and property; the extensive presence of high street names in Irish towns and cities; the flow of ideas and the extent of collaborative R&D between British and Irish entities.
In the short to medium term, both economies face similar challenges and opportunities. Our respective economic agendas are focused on the growth and innovation that will generate quality employment and higher standards of living for our citizens.
On the EU’s economic agenda Britain and Ireland are very much on the same page. Prime Minister Cameron is seeking to drive European growth, innovation and employment creation, particularly through the completion of the Single market. We share that ambition. Restoring growth in Europe is key to recovery and that is true for Britain also, even though it is not a member of the eurozone.
The Joint Statement includes a sizeable agenda of economic issues that Prime Minister Cameron and I believe will allow scope for collaboration and potential for mutual gain.
There is already a significant degree of collaboration in the R&D space and it is an area where international collaboration yields more productive and pervasive outcomes, especially when commercial entities and research organisations form partnerships. We will look at where we can do more collaboratively
The energy sector is another one in which there is substantial existing engagement but concerns around the security of supply, increasing supplies from renewable sources and the potential of the ‘cleantech’ sector suggests that there are opportunities worth pursuing.
Similarly food security and related technologies is an area of Irish and British strength and of global opportunity.
The successful partnering of British and Irish firms in the construction of the Olympic Park in East London indicates how sub-contracting, sub-supply and partnering can produce globally competitive operations and so we will look at ways of replicating that approach across the financial, construction and other professional services sectors.
That is just a flavour of the possibilities for greater economic collaboration - aimed at increasing trade, making our businesses more globally competitive and generating sustainable employment – which we have agreed to explore. To underpin the pursuit of this agenda we also agreed to have a joint evaluation of the deep economic integration and interrelationship between Britain and Ireland.
The British and Irish governments will pursue this work jointly – senior officials will meet as necessary and there will be an annual Summit to check on progress.
There are many other actors involved who can help make these ambitions a reality. Our various agencies whose role it is to support business development and promote the business sector will continue to be very active in the British market, including the development of business partnerships. The Irish business Diaspora is by their nature a force for developing British Irish business networks and business opportunities. The newly created British Irish Chamber of Commerce will also help to further trade between the islands and foster areas where we can collaborate to economic advantage.
As to the future, I think we can look at areas where our firms and other organisations can collaborate to grow our businesses, our knowledge and our exports into third markets.
What is more valuable longer term for Ireland is not simple import and export trade, but strategic collaborations in areas such as food supply and security, energy supply and security, renewable and clean energy technologies, construction, financial services, research in the life sciences, the pervasive software sector and the opportunities in the creative industries. I think that there are exciting possibilities in these areas for us to work more closely.
What better way to celebrate that deepening of our relations than to work together to strengthen and grow our economies, create vibrant businesses and generate quality employment and living standards for our citizens?
I know from your programme of work for this plenary meeting that economic growth and making business easier across these islands is as much a priority for you as it is for my government.
I would like to pay tribute to you for your hard work on this to date, and wish you well for the rest of the plenary, and the future work of the Assembly.
Britain is our nearest neighbour and remains our closest friend on the world stage.
We are now entering a new and exciting phase of that relationship, and of the relationships across these islands. The visit of Queen Elizabeth last year laid to rest the ghosts of past conflicts, and allowed the space to look to the future. The challenge now facing all of us as politicians and legislators, and of representatives of the people of these islands, is to imagine what shape the future relationship will take.
As we work in the coming years to deepen the friendship between Britain and Ireland, and identify new avenues for cooperation, I know that BIPA will be – as it always has been – at the heart of that relationship.
Thank you.
ENDS