Visit of the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate, and a Parliamentary Delegation, Ireland and Scotland

From August 26 to September 1, 2011, the Speaker of the Senate, the Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, led a parliamentary delegation on an official visit to Ireland and Scotland. The delegation was composed of Mrs. Ann Kinsella, the Honourable Senators Lowell Murray, P.C., George Furey and Michael MacDonald. Accompanying the delegation were Mr. Charles Robert, Principal Clerk, Chamber Operations and Procedure Office, Ms. Janelle Feldstein, Chief of Staff of the Speaker of the Senate, as well as Ms. Gaëtane Lemay, Secretary to the delegation.

In Ireland, the delegation met with:

• His Excellency Seán Barrett, Speaker of the Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives);
• Mr. Eamon Gilmore, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs;
• Mr. Ruari Quinn, Minister for Education;
• Ms. Kathleen Lynch, Minister of State for Disability, Equality and Mental Health;
• Commodore Mark Mellett, Commander of the Irish Naval Forces;
• Councillor Tim Lombard, Mayor of Cork County;
• Councillor.John Connolly, Deputy Mayor of Bantry Town Council;
• Reverend Ciaran O’Carroll;
• Dr. Maurice Manning, President, Irish Human Rights Commission;
• Dr. William Binchy, Commissioner, Irish Human Rights Commission;
• Ms. Alice Leahy, Commissioner, Irish Human Rights Commission;
• Mr. Des Hogan, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Enquiries, Legal Services and Administration, Irish Human Rights Commission;
• Dr. John Kelly, Executive Director, Ireland Canada University Foundation;
• Dr. Barbara Dooley, Vice-Principal for Teaching and Learning, College of Human Sciences, University College Dublin;
• Mr. Peter O’Reilly, Vice President, Portfolio Manager and Head of Global Equities, Investors Group; and
• Mr. Martin Fahey, Vice President, Portfolio Manager and Head of European Equities, Investors Group.

While in Ireland, the delegation travelled to Cork to visit the Haulbowline Naval Base and the National Maritime College. The delegation also laid a wreath at the monument in Ahakista in memory of the victims of the Air India tragedy.

In Scotland, the delegation met with:

• Ms. Elaine Smith, Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament;
• Lord Arthur Campbell Hamilton, Lord President of the Court of Session of Scotland;
• Lord David Steel, Member of the House of Lords;
• Lord Wallace of Tankerness, Member of the House of Lords, Advocate-General for Scotland;
• Dr. Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning and Skills; and
• Mr. Paul Grice, Clerk/Chief Executive, Scottish Parliament.

The objectives of the visit were to enhance relations between Canada and both Ireland and Scotland and to encourage ongoing parliamentary dialogue by further promoting parliamentary exchanges. The visit provided an opportunity to discuss foreign policy on issues of international and mutual interest and to promote educational exchanges.