The leader of the Scottish National Party, Mr Alex Salmond MP, and the party's president, Dr Winnie Ewing, MEP, arrived in Ireland yesterday for meetings with a range of Government Ministers.
Speaking at a news conference in Dublin yesterday, Mr Salmond said 10 of the 15 EU member states were small nations like Scotland "able to promote their interests and shape Europe's future".
The SNP is attempting to broaden its international contacts and "increase our influence within Europe in advance of Scotland becoming an independent nation once again", Mr Salmond added.
