Agenda

9.30am – Registration
10am – Opening plenary

The prospects for Irish unity –
opening the debate

Main hall

Opening address:
• Gerry Adams MP, President Sinn Féin

• Jarlath Burns, broadcaster and former Gaelic Athletic Association player
• Conall McDevitt MLA, SDLP
• Lord Dubs, Vice-Chair British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Assembly
• Mick Halpenny, Head of legal rights unit, SIPTU
• Margaret Ward, author and historian
• Chair: Diane Abbott MP

Followed by questions and participants from the floor.

12.30–1.30pm – Lunch
1.30pm–3.15pm – Seminars

Ireland’s economy – from crisis to
re-unification

Congress Suites 1–3, ground floor

• Michael Burke, Socialist Economic Bulletin
• Patricia McKeown, Regional Secretary Unison Northern Ireland and former President Irish Congress of Trades Unions
• Mitchel McLaughlin MLA, Sinn Féin economy spokesperson
• Chair: Seumas Milne, Guardian writer

Debating Ireland’s future – constitutional, social and political

Invision Room 1, second floor

• Conor Murphy MP, Assembly Minister and Sinn Féin negotiator
• Andy Pollak, Centre for Cross-Border Studies
• Jayne Fisher, Sinn Féin London Office
• Chair: Steve Bell

The rise and role of the Irish in Britain – looking to the future

Invision Room 2, second floor

• John Connolly, Chair Council of Irish Counties’ Associations
• Jeremy Corbyn MP
• Alex McDonnell, Co-ordinator, Aisling Project
• Jennie McShannon, Chief Executive Federation of Irish Societies
• Jon Myles, writer and former editor Irish Post
• Chair: Prof Mary Hickman, London Metropolitan University Irish Study Centre

Building an Ireland of equals –
creating a dialogue with unionism

Main hall

• David Adams, Irish Times columnist and former loyalist politician
• Lord (Paul) Bew, author and professor, Queen’s University, Belfast
• Pat Doherty MP, Sinn Féin
• Professor Christine Kineally, author and historian
• Chair: Anni Marjoram

3.15–3.30pm – Break
3.30–5pm – Final plenary

Putting Irish Unity on the agenda –
the next steps

Main hall

• Ronan Bennett, writer
• Professor Mary Hickman, London Metropolitan University Irish Studies Centre
• Ken Livingstone, former Mayor of London
• John McDonnell MP
• Dr Kevin McNamara, Agreed Ireland Forum and former Shadow Secretary of State
• Cllr Salma Yaqoob, leader, Respect Party
• Chair: Michelle Gildernew MP, Assembly Minister and Sinn Féin negotiator

Closing address

Martin McGuinness MP, Deputy First Minister