Friday, March 16, 2018, 12:00 - 13:30
Eoghan Murphy, Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government of Ireland &
Anne Barrington, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ireland in Japan
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in English with Japanese simultaneous interpretation.
"Brexit briefing: Japan, the EU and Ireland"
What used to be known by some in Britain a century and more ago as "the Irish Question" referred to the calls for Irish independence at that time. Now there is another Irish Question and it refers to the border between the United Kingdom and Ireland and what happens to that border after the United Kingdom exits the European Union in 2019.
The EU has issued an ultimatum to Britain's prime Theresa May in Brexit talks, warning that it would not open discussions about the future trading relationship or other issues until guarantees were received about the Irish border question. European Council President Donald Tusk said that talks with the UK will be a matter of "Ireland first" and that "the risk of destabilizing the fragile [Northern Ireland] peace process must be avoided at all costs".
Japan has a strong stake in this issue because (as the Irish Times commented) "Japan sees Ireland as an important ally as it seeks to safeguard the interests of Japanese companies in the UK and the European Union" following Brexit. The FCCJ has invited Ireland's Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Eoghan Murphy and Ireland's Ambassador to Japan Anne Barrington to discuss the new Irish question and the trilateral issues affecting Japan, Ireland and the EU (plus Britain).
Eoghan Murphy TD was appointed to Cabinet as the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government in June 2017 by Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. Prior to that he served as Minister of State at the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform, with special responsibility for Financial Services, Government and Public Procurement. He is a member of the Fine Gael party and represents the constituency of Dublin Bay South. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann (Parliament) in 2011, and was subsequently re-elected in 2016. Between 2009 and 2011 he served as a Councillor on Dublin City Council for the Pembroke-Rathmines ward. Before his appointment as Minister of State, Eoghan served on the Banking Inquiry, the Public Accounts Committee, the Dáil Reform Committee, as Head of the Oireachtas delegation to the OSCE, and as Chairperson of the Fine Gael Transport, Tourism and Sport Committee.
Anne Barrington was appointed Ireland's ambassador to Japan in September 2014, prior to which she has served at the North South Ministerial Council in Armagh, Northern Ireland and as Director General of Europe Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade HQ. She has also served as Ambassador to Tanzania, Kenya and Burundi and in numerous other diplomatic posts in Washington DC, at the United Nations in New York and in the Office of the Prime Minister of Ireland.
Please reserve in advance, 3211-3161 or on the website (still & TV cameras inclusive). The charge for members/members' guest is 1,750/2,700 yen; non-members eligible to attend may pay in cash by e mail reservation (front@fccj.or.jp). (Menu:Sautéed Sea Bream with Boolean Blanc source.) Reservations canceled less than one hour in advance for working press members, and 24 hours for all others, will be charged in full. Reservations and cancellations are not complete without confirmation. For meal service, please enter the room by 12:25.
Professional Activities Committee
Eoghan Murphy Anne Barrington