Farmleigh

It was an early start to be here for 9am! so forgive spelling grammar etc.

Farmleigh is a magnificent building set in the midst of Phoenix Park. To get here this morning we did have to go down a road that had a works sign stating Road Closed. I hope that this is not a sign for the rest of the day!

Anyway, the speech from the Taoiseach was relatively predictable. The host of civil society and economic organisations were complimented on their work. Taoiseach then stated the importance of continuing the peace process.

He did state that he had directed his officials and Ministers to be open to engaging with civil society and also said to me in a brief discussion afterwards that The Innovation Taskforce recently set up to develop a smart economy will be open to looking at and having discussion on how it can proceed on an all-island basis. This might in time make up for NI being sidelined at the huge economic conference here in September.

The audience who are largely from organisations in NI do seem to have a few issues surrounding the event. Questions such as why are we here? Havent we done all this before? What happens next? are all being asked.

I think the purpose so far is to see should we still have a North South Consultative Forum and what should it do.

I am a bit concerned that the majority of organisations represented are from NI. How and can we make this initiative relevant to people on the island as a whole?

One more thing - dont forget organisations have been at this for 20 or more years - lets bring something new and lets not reinvent or duplicate the wheel.