Tánaiste to brief Cabinet on plans to mark 25th anniversary of Belfast Agreement

Events to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement will not focus on a specific date but will take place across the year, the Cabinet is to be told on Tuesday.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin is expected to brief Ministers on the Government’s plans to commemorate the historic Northern Ireland peace deal which was signed on Good Friday, April 10th, 1998.

The Irish Times understands that any plans by US president Joe Biden for a visit to coincide with the anniversary remain unclear at this point.

There had been suggestions that the prospect of a visit by Mr Biden to mark the signing of the Belfast Agreement could add impetus to restoring the Northern Ireland power-sharing institutions in time for the anniversary.

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A new Executive has not been established due to the dispute over the Northern Ireland protocol aspect of the Brexit deal. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has been refusing to re-enter power-sharing due to its opposition to the protocol.

Mr Martin is to update Cabinet on how, as co-guarantor of the Belfast Agreement, the Government plans a series of events to mark the anniversary, both on the island of Ireland and abroad.

Rather than focusing on a single date, events will take place throughout the year, also reflecting the vital role played by the United States and the European Union in supporting the peace process.

The Departments of the Taoiseach, Foreign Affairs and Tourism are working together on elements of the programme.

One “key event” is said to be a high-level conference hosted by Queen’s University Belfast between April 17th and 19th with a range of speakers due to be announced later this year.

There is also to be a range of cultural, civic and academic events and the planned St Patrick’s Day events abroad will also have a strong focus on the anniversary.