FG MEPs to meet MPs & Lord Mayor of Belfast on peace process & EU funding programmes

Fine Gael MEPs Sean Kelly, Mairead McGuinness and Deirdre Clune will travel to Belfast on Friday, October 10^th to host a series of meetings with leading politicians, community groups and those involved in the EU funding programmes.

The MEPs begin their visit to Belfast at 10am and will meet the current SDLP Lord Mayor of Belfast, Nichola Mallon. Later, they will meet with MPs Alasdair McDonnell and Naomi Long alongside the Head of European Commission Office Colette Fitzgerald and the Head of Special EU Programme Body Pat Colgan, hosted by British Joint Secretary Michael McAvoy.

“In Belfast, we will voice our support for all-party talks involving the two governments with a view to forging a fully functioning Northern Ireland Executive for the benefit of all citizens. Both communities in Northern Ireland previously demonstrated enormous courage and foresight in agreeing to the peace process and are an example to the world in peace-building. Political and community leaders must now strengthen their resolve to address legacy issues such as parades, flags and identity, in a spirit of compromise and solidarity, in order to achieve the common goal of lasting peace.

“We also want to highlight the enormous contribution that the EU has made to the peace process through EU Peace funding. Various EU initiatives have brought communities together and provided valuable infrastructure in areas left devastated by the Troubles. As MEPs, we would support a continued EU role in further peace and reconciliation programmes,” Sean Kelly MEP, leader of the Fine Gael delegation, ahead of the visit.

The three MEPs will visit Charter NI (Community Development Group focussed on East Belfast) and Short Strand Women’s Group and Short Strand Community Forum. They are also due to meet representatives from Queen’s University Conflict Transformation Institute and DemocraShe, a group advancing women’s leadership.

“We cannot take for granted that the Peace Process is embedded in the North.   We intend to gather a detailed and up-to-date appraisal of the challenges facing the process and communicate this information to the European Commission President-elect Juncker and key senior EU officials so that the appropriate political priority is given to the Peace Process at the highest levels in the EU,” Mr Kelly added.