Ireland Nepal Parliamentary Friendship Group Formed

Post date: Jul 13, 2017 6:25:27 AM

The Honourable members of 32nd Dail Éireann (Lower House of the Irish Parliament) and 25th Seanad ( Upper House of the Irish Parliament) have formed Ireland-Nepal Parliamentary Friendship Group on June 27th, 2017. The historical launch ceremony of the friendship group was chaired by the Right Honourable Mr. Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD, Ceann Comhairle (Speaker of the Irish Parliament) in the Leinster House (The Irish Parliament Building). The Ireland-Nepal Parliamentary Friendship Group comprises of the Honourable Members of Irish Parliament, Hon. Ms. Maureen O’Sullivan TD (Convener of the Friendship Group), Hon. Senator Ms. Ivana Bacik, Hon. Mr. Sean Barett TD, Hon. Mr. Sean Crowe TD and Hon. Mr. Darragh O’Brien TD.

Speaking on the occasion the Ceann Comhairle, Right Honourable Mr. Seán Ó Fearghaíl TD, stated that growing links between Ireland and Nepal have been formally recognized at parliamentary level with the establishment of a Friendship Group in the Irish Parliament and it is his strong hope that the friendship group will serve as a valuable platform to develop links between Ireland and Nepal. He said he has heard people who have been to Nepal speaking about Nepal lovingly and expressed his desire to visit Nepal one day. He also stressed the need for exchange visits so that experiences of the past can be shared between the two countries.

The Convener of the Ireland-Nepal Parliamentary Friendship Group, Hon. Ms. Maureen of Sullivan TD welcomed the guests and said that the friendship group would work actively to promote the trade relationship between Ireland and Nepal, explore areas of collaboration between the two countries, extend parliamentary cooperation and look into an exchange of high-level visits.

Mr. Sharad Raj Aran, Deputy Chief of Mission at Embassy of Nepal in London, which is accredited to Ireland addressed the program, mentioned that the constitution of Nepal had incorporated universally accepted democratic norms and values such as multiparty democracy, pluralism, adult franchise, rule of law, representative and accountable government, social and economic justice, independent judiciary, freedom of press, and human rights. He added that the Government of Nepal and the Legislature-Parliament of Nepal are fully committed to institutionalizing democracy by holding local, provincial and parliamentary-level elections within the period of eight months. He also expressed his confidence that the formation of the friendship group would be instrumental in further enhancing Nepal-Ireland relations in general and in consolidating Nepal-Ireland parliamentary ties.

President of Nepal-Ireland Society, Mr. Deepesh Man Shakya, who has been coordinating the establishment of the friendship group, said that Nepalese community in Ireland was excited and encouraged with the formation of Ireland-Nepal Parliamentary Friendship Group. He informed that the formal inauguration of the friendship group was finally materialized after the constant untiring effort by the Nepal Ireland Society and the Irish friends of Nepal, and support from Embassy of Nepal in London. He thanked the Ceann Comhairle, the Convener and all members of the friendship group for their help and support and expressed his hope to work closely with the group to promote tourism, trade, and investment in Nepal and Ireland.

Also present in the historic inauguration of Ireland Nepal Parliamentary Friendship Group were Honorable members of Irish Parliament Deputy Brendan Smith (Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee) and Deputy Thomas Pringle, Hon. Senator Terry Leyden (Member of the Council of Europe), Ms. Maeve Collins (Regional Director for Asia Pacific Region at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), Mr. Sarad Raj Aran (Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Nepal London), Professor Juliette Hussey (Vice-President, International Global Relations, Trinity College) and many distinguished personalities.

The event was attended by executive committee members of Nepal Ireland Society, representatives of NRN-I and Irish friends of Nepal.

Date: 27th June 2017