West Tyrone Sinn Fein Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Doherty keynote speaker at major London Conference on Irish unity

Published: 16 February, 2010

Sinn Fein West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty will be speak at a major conference on Irish Unity being held at Congress House in London on Saturday 20 February.


Other keynote party speakers at the event entitled Putting Irish unity on the agenda - opening the debate' will include Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams MP and the north's Deputy First Minister, Martin Mc Guinness MP and there will be a broad range of speakers from across the political spectrum, from the Irish community, the trade unions, and a range of commentators, academics and figures in the arts and cultural fields.


These include former mayor of London Ken Livingstone, GAA personality Jarlath Burns, author and historian Margaret Ward, (Lord) Professor Paul Bew, former President of the ICTU Patricia McKeown, Irish Times columnist and former loyalist politician David Adams, Jeremy Corbyn MP, former Labour minister Lord Alf Dubs, Mick Halpenny from SIPTU and former Shadow Secretary of State for the north, Kevin McNamara.


Speaking of the importance of the event Pat Doherty said,


"This major conference in London is part of a major initiative being rolled out by Sinn Féin to put the issue of Irish Unity firmly on the political agenda and open up a genuine debate around all the issues which are relevant to bringing about Irish Unity. Already major conferences have been held in New York and San Francisco in June of last year and this latest conference will precede the roll out of similar events throughout Ireland itself.


"The Good Friday Agreement recognises that it is for the people of Ireland alone, north and south, to decide their own future, and we hope to open a wide debate. We hope to engage with the Irish in Britain but also with wider British political opinion. The discussion aims to look at many key fields of life, such as the economy, culture, social justice, equality, constitutional mechanisms and many issues of specific concern to the Irish in Britain reaching back over many generations. This conference will be an important opportunity to have a serious debate and engagement.


Seminar discussions will include:

· Ireland 's Economy - from crisis to reunification;

· The rise and role of the Irish in Britain - looking to the future;Debating Ireland 's future - constitutional, social and political

· Building an Ireland of equals - creating a dialogue with unionism


Full information about the conference and to register visit the website at: www.londonirishunityconference.org

NOTES TO EDITORS / PHOTODESKS: For further information & media inquiries contact Jayne Fisher on 07940565123