This is a past event
Irish-Scottish Forum: The Politics of DevolutionThe first Irish-Scottish forum organised by Aberdeen University ’s AHRC Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies was held in June 2000 at the end of the first year of the Centre’s existence – as well as the Parliament’s. The topic was ‘Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland: Future Relationships in the Age of Devolution’, and the major speaker was Scotland’s deputy first First Minister, Jim Wallace, deputising for Donald Dewar. Subsequent Forums have explored a variety of issues of relevance to the two nations and three polities. The most recent have explored alternative strategies of inward investment (2007), the relationship between government and culture (2009, held in Trinity College, Dublin), and the ecological implications of spatial planning (2009).
On 5 November the final Forum of this Phase of the AHRC Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies will take place at the Scottish Parliament to consider the ways in which devolution has developed in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales over the past ten years, and to explore the implications for the future politics of these territories, as well as their relationships with each other and with the Westminster government.
Programme
Friday 5 November
9.15
Welcome
9.20
Parallel Session 1: ‘Parliaments and the Judiciary’: Prof John Williams (Aberystwyth), Austen Morgan (Barrister, N. Ireland), Christopher Gane (Aberdeen)
Parallel Session 2: ‘Inter-parliamentary Institutions’: Paul Murphy (MP), Graham Walker (Queen’s Belfast), Paul Docherty (British Council)
10.45
Tea/Coffee
11.15
Welcome by the Deputy Presiding Officer
11.20
Plenary Session 1: ‘The Workings of Devolution’: Rhodri Morgan, Henry McLeish, Lord Alderdice
12.45
Sandwich lunch
14.00
Parallel Session 3: ‘Devolved Governments and Central Government’: Lord Sewel (Aberdeen), Paul Cairney (Aberdeen), Elin Royles (Aberystwyth)
Parallel Session 4: ‘The Economic Powers of Devolved Governments’: Eurfyl ap Gwilym (Cardiff); Graham Brownlow (Queen’s, Belfast); David Heald (Aberdeen)
15.30
Tea/Coffee
16.00
Plenary Session 2: ‘Culture, Language and Media’, John Kirk (Queen’s Belfast), Pwyll ap Sion (Bangor), Pat Kane (writer and activist), Adrienne Scullion (Glasgow)
17.00
Dinner (invited delegates only)
Registration is now closed for this event
- Venue
- Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh