NIGAG OIREACHTAS VISIT SUCCESS
17/06/09

NIGAG Members meet John Donaghue, Ceann Comhairle ( The Speaker), Dail Eireann

A party of NIGAG members led by Chairman Will Chambre and vice chairs Glynn Roberts and Gerry Carson have been on a study trip to the Irish Parliament-the Oireachtas- in Leinster House, Dublin.

The visit, co-ordinated by  NIGAG events officer John Davison, involved meetings with John Donaghue, Ceann Comhairle ( The Speaker), Dail Eireann and Ministers Dr. Martin Mansergh and Eamon O’Cuiv. Minister Mansergh was a leading player in the behind the scenes moves which brought about the IRA cease fire and Minister O’Cuiv has the challenging responsibilities for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

The visitors also met with the man currently leading the Irish opinion polls as the most popular party leader, Eamon Gilmore, Leader of the Labour Party; Mark Kennelly, Chef de Cabinet, Fine Gael –poised to form the next government; and Noel O’Flynn Chairman of the Dail Working Group of Committee Chairmen.

Valuable insights into Dail procedures were given by Ray Treacy, Principal Clerk, Houses of the Oireachtas, and Art O‘Leary, Director of Committees, Information and Communications and his colleague Mark Mulqueeen.

The day long visit to Leinster House ended with a NIGAG reception and dinner with representatives from the main political parties in the Dail and other guests, hosted by Senator Ronan Mullen.

“The whole day was a splendid event", reckons NIGAG Chairman Will Chambré. "We were tremendously well received, we were given a most valuable and detailed insight to the workings of the Irish Parliament, and crucially we made contact with key personalities with whom we can develop relationships in the years ahead. This was a most useful venture which I hope we can repeat again next year.”

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