Press Releases
LEGISLATION AND POLITICS COMMITTEE (NI) MEETS IRISH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER
The Irish Foreign Affairs Minister, Brian Cowen, met today, Friday, with the Church of Ireland Legislation and Politics Committee (NI) in Church of Ireland House Belfast. This was part of a process of dialogue between the Church and political representatives. The 70-minute meeting included a presentation by the Minister in which he emphasised the urgent need to repair the present deficit of trust and confidence in both communities. He said the emphasis must be upon building a new, inclusive, secure and peaceful future for everyone rather than trying to resolve the deep-seated disputes of the past. The Committee stressed to the Minister the need for transparency in the building of trust, which is critically important if Northern Ireland is to enjoy the kind of political stability anticipated in the Belfast Agreement.
Canon Walter Lewis, chairperson of the committee said:
"We welcomed the opportunity to meet with the Minister and to express to him the Church of Ireland’s commitment to reconciliation between the communities in Northern Ireland and to continue the process of finding ways to achieve that objective. The meeting was extremely constructive, and the start of an ongoing process of dialogue with the Minister."
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