Time to begin a new era

The visit by President McAleese to Scotland serves to underline the importance of strengthening our ties and affinity with our close Celtic neighbour, Scotland. It is particularly timely, given the new opportunities provided by the Good Friday Agreement and Scottish devolution - developments which herald a new era in relations between our two nations.

Culturally, there is much in common between us. Shared elements of Celtic ancestry, language and traditions, have formed a strong historical bond between Ireland and Scotland throughout the centuries and this is clearly evident today. There have also been major movements of people between the two countries over the centuries.

It is these bonds that we hope to build on in the years ahead. Until recent months the absence of a separate Scottish administration had hampered the development of political connections between Scotland and Ireland. Devolution in Scotland, which took place on July 1st last, has truly changed the political environment.

The Irish Government, like the new Scottish Executive, is very keen to exploit the potential of the new political dimension that Scottish devolution has presented. In recognition of this fact, I have visited Scotland twice recently and both the Tanaiste and the Minister for Foreign Affairs have been there earlier in the year. In further recognition of the emphasis being placed by the Irish Government on developing our ties with Scotland, a Consulate was established in Edinburgh in September 1998, charged with fostering a good working relationship with the new Scottish administration to the mutual benefit of both of our peoples.

The Consulate has already made good progress in developing contacts in the political arena as well as on the ground with business and community groups. The Consulate has been instrumental in developing the new Scottish-Irish Business Forum, launched by the Tanaiste recently. It has also helped to facilitate and strengthen links between academic institutions in Scotland and Ireland.

The University of Aberdeen has established a major Irish/Scottish Studies Research Institute, headed by a leading Scottish historian, Tom Devine, which is to be formally opened by President McAleese during her visit. I look forward to the establishment of the British-Irish Council, which is part of the institutional framework envisaged under the Good Friday Agreement. The Council will consist of members of the Irish and British governments as well as the administrations in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

I see it as a useful forum in which we will be able to consider a wide range of issues of mutual interest. Areas which have been identified as being suitable for discussion by the Council include transport links, agricultural matters, environmental issues, health issues (including drug issues), education issues and approaches to EU issues.

However, co-operation need not be confined to multilateral co-operation within the British-Irish Council. Of equal importance is the development of stronger bilateral relations between Ireland and Scotland, for which there is ample scope within the BIC arrangements. There is considerable opportunity for co-operation on a number of fronts.

The Scottish Executive is similarly enthusiastic, a fact that is borne out by the recent visit to Ireland by First Minister, Mr Donald Dewar. Undertaking his first official overseas engagement, Mr Dewar's visit to Ireland clearly underlined the importance that his administration will be placing on developing closer relations with Ireland. His visit is being followed by a number of visits by other Ministers in the Scottish administration.