Nigel Dodds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-04-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what meetings her Department has had with the government of the Republic of Ireland about First World War commemorations.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

Ministers and officials from the Northern Ireland Office have been in regular contact with the Irish Government about our approach to the First World War centenary, particularly over the course of the last year. This includes planning for joint Ministerial attendance at a number of events which will take place in Belfast, Dublin and France over the course of the coming months.

These contacts have included discussions on how both Governments can work together to mark the wider decade of commemorations in Ireland in a manner which promotes reconciliation and contributes to a peaceful, shared future.

I recently joined the Irish Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to lay the foundation stone for a Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cross of Sacrifice at Glasnevin in Dublin to commemorate men from the island of Ireland who gave their lives in both World Wars.