Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference will meet next in Dublin on 28 November, the third meeting of the Conference this year following meetings in London in June and Dublin in January. The Conference was established under Strand Three of the Good Friday Agreement to promote bilateral cooperation at all levels on all matters of mutual interest within the competence of the British and Irish Governments.

The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference offers a forum for discussion of vital issues which impact on the everyday lives of citizens across these islands, but with a focus on Northern Ireland. Officials in the standing Secretariat prepare the agenda and will be intensifying work on the agenda items for the November meeting in the coming weeks. In 2023 so far, issues including security, energy cooperation, cybersecurity and education have been discussed at the Conference.

While the agenda for the November Conference has yet to be finalised, the two Governments agreed during both of the Conferences in 2023 on the critical importance of the restoration of the Assembly and Executive as well as the North South Ministerial Council. While I sincerely hope that the devolved institutions are restored before November, if they are not, the Conference will provide an important forum for discussion of the responsibilities of the two Governments in those circumstances.

At a time when the Strand One and Strand Two institutions of the Good Friday Agreement have been prevented from functioning effectively, it is vital that the work of Strand Three, including the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, continues to provide a positive forum for the two Governments to strengthen the East West relationship.