Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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338. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the communication he has had with the UK Government on the possibility of the holding of a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. [22607/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) is an important institution of the Good Friday Agreement, bringing together the British and Irish Governments under Strand Three of the Good Friday Agreement to promote bilateral co-operation on matters of mutual interest within the competence of both Governments.

As per the Programme for Government, we have committed to work to enhance the role of the British-Irish Council and the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference as a means of strengthening those essential links.

During the programme of bilateral engagements held last month in London, I reaffirmed with my UK Government colleagues the importance of the role of the BIIGC, and we are now are engaging with the British Government through the Secretariat of the Conference with a view to setting an early date in the period ahead for its next meeting. I will remain in regular contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis on this and other issues, as we continue to work in support of the power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland.