St Patrick's Day: Ireland and Scotland have ambitious plans to improve economic, social and cultural relations – Angus Robertson MSP

St Patrick’s Day is celebrated around the world this week as an opportunity to celebrate Ireland and Irish contributions internationally.

Scotland's Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Secretary Angus Robertson meets Ireland's Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney (Picture courtesy of Angus Robertson)

Few countries have benefited from the contributions of Irish people as much as Scotland. Over the centuries, hundreds of thousands have made it here from all corners of the Emerald Isle and played a huge part in building the country economically, socially and culturally.

Last week I was in Dublin to meet with the Irish Government for the first annual review of our bilateral cooperation framework. Scotland and Ireland have an ambitious joint work programme to deliver improved government relations, business and economic ties, health collaboration as well as cooperation in the fields of academia and research, community and diaspora, and rural, coastal and island communities.

It was a pleasure to meet with Foreign Minister Simon Coveney at the beautiful Iveagh House headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on St Stephens Green. It was positive to reflect on the major progress that has been made in cooperation between Scotland and Ireland in the last year, notwithstanding the pressures of the Covid pandemic.

Much of the work is driven by the excellent Irish Consulate General in Edinburgh and the Scotland House office of the Scottish Government in Dublin. Our respective representatives, Jane McCulloch and Katy McNeil, as well as their colleagues, do a great job for our joint benefit.

On St Patrick’s Day 2022, I will be raising a glass to the excellent relationships and cooperation between Scotland and Ireland. Slainté.

Angus Robertson is the SNP MSP for Edinburgh Central and Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Secretary

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