Councillors from across Ireland gathered at the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen on 2nd and 3rd December 2004 for a unique forum on modern relations between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Ten quality papers were delivered from a variety of political parties, and an open discussion followed each contribution. The apapers followed the guidelines set down by the Confederation on politics, business/commercial, social/cultural and sport.

The seminar was the last of the 2004 programme, and highlighted the benefit of allowing local representatives a forum to express their own views and those of their parties on the central issues relating to North-South relations. In closing the programme of events, we have addresses ‘Rural Development’ and ‘North-South Relations’ in our seminars and ‘EU structures and Funding’ and the ‘Powers and Functions of Local Government’ in our training programmes.

Our chairs for the two-day sessions in Enniskillen were Mr Peter Quinn and Mr Tommy McDonald. Senator Maurice Hayes, Chairman of the National Forum on Europe, was the guest after dinner speaker on 2nd December.

Click on the links below to access the various papers delivered at the seminar (in word format).

Cllr Arnold Hatch
(Ulster Unionist Party) - Craigavon Borough Council

Cllr Donal Marren
(Fine Gael) - Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council

Cllr Barry McElduff
(Sinn Fein) - Omagh District Council

Cllr Mark Dearey
(Green Party) - Dundalk Town Council

Cllr David Alderdice
(Alliance) - Belfast City Council

Cllr Ger Nash
(Labour Party) - Louth County Council

Cllr Dolores Kelly
(SDLP) - Craigavon Borough Council

Cllr Cait Keane
(Progressive Democrats) - South Dublin County Council

Cllr Jonathan Bell
(DUP) - Craigavon Borough Council

Cllr Tiernan Brady
(Fianna Fail) - Bundoran Town Council