Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade to engage with Bertie Ahern and Gerry Adams on lessons of the Peace Process for the Middle East

The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade will meet on Tuesday February 24th to engage with former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams on the topic of Ireland's peace process and peace building in the Middle East.

The meeting will take place in Committee Room 2 of Leinster House between 15:00-17:30.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy John Lahart said: "The Committee will hear from former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams on how Ireland's peace process culminating in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, can inform international conflict resolution efforts, including in the Middle East.

Ireland's experience shows that an imperfect peace, patiently built through consent, respect for democratic mandates and shared institutions, is better than no peace at all and that real progress only comes when all sides accept that sustainable settlements require compromise, accommodation and a recognition of each other's rights and identities.

There is a serious opportunity now to institutionalise our lived experience into a Global Centre for Conflict Resolution, with the support of Government and international partners.

The meeting will consider the experiences and insights from Mr Ahern and Mr Adams on peacebuilding and how Ireland can contribute constructively to international peace efforts.

This session forms part of the Committee's ongoing work to reflect on Ireland's peace-building experience and explore how its lessons may be shared globally."

Watch the meeting live here or on the Oireachtas smartphone app for Apple and Android.