North-South Inter Parliamentary Association

I was delighted to be recently appointed to the North-South Inter Parliamentary Association. Since my appointment to the Seanad in 2011 I have served on the Committee for the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

The NSIP Association, the establishment of which arises out of the Good Friday and St. Andrew's Agreements, will provide a forum for regular formal discussions between Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas and Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly on issues of mutual interest and concern, meeting twice yearly on a rotational basis. The membership is drawn in equal numbers from the Houses and the Assembly and will comprise 50 members in total which includes the two Joint Chairs. The Joint Chairs are the Ceann Comhairle, Seán Barrett, TD and the Speaker, William Hay, MLA.

The first plenary meeting will take place in Dublin on October 12th.