Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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457. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the proposals, if any, to hold a meeting at an early date of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference at Taoiseach and prime minister-level. [55117/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) was established under Strand 3 of the Good Friday Agreement. It brings both Governments together to promote bilateral cooperation on matters of mutual interest within their competence. Within the Good Friday Agreement, there is provision for the Conference to meet at a Summit Level (Prime Minister and Taoiseach), otherwise Governments will be represented by appropriate Ministers.

Meetings of the BIIGC are prepared through the Joint British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat (BIIGS) in Belfast, which is staffed by officials from my Department and the Department of Justice, and their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Office.

It was agreed at the last meeting of the BIIGC, which took place in London on 7th October 2022, that the Conference would reconvene in January 2023 in Dublin. Discussion is underway in relation to the scheduling of this next meeting. It is intended that this meeting will have representation at Minister and Secretary of State level.