Athlone Fianna Fáil will play host to former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, next week when he speaks to the group about the impact of Brexit on Ireland.
Mr Ahern will appear in Athlone on the week of the 19th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
The former Taoiseach, who was the architect of the Northern Ireland Peace Agreement, was invited to Athlone by Fianna Fáil councillor, Aengus O’Rourke.
“Our country faced grave difficulties and challenges for more than 90 years, but one of a Fianna Fáil-led government’s greatest achievements was the stabilising of a toxic situation in the North of Ireland, and the subsequent peace which came about following the Good Friday Agreement of 1998,” Cllr O’Rourke said.
“Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach at the time, played a central role in securing that all-important agreement. Due to his worldwide status as peacemaker and negotiator, I have invited Bertie Ahern to address our members, so we can hear first hand his views on Brexit from a Northern Ireland perspective, and how it may impact the peace process, and the economy both north and south.
“I think it would be valuable for us to hear his views on what our Brexit future could be. I am pleased that the former Taoiseach accepted my invitation to visit Athlone.”
Cllr O’Rourke has also invited Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Darragh O’Brien. Before he won a Dáil seat in Dublin Fingal, Darragh was Fianna Fáil’s Seanad Spokesman on Finance.
“I am very much looking forward to hearing the views of both Bertie Ahern and Deputy Darragh O’Brien on the night,” Cllr O’Rourke added. “While this is a Fianna Fáil-hosted meeting, members of the public are welcome to attend this Brexit meeting.”
The meeting will take place in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel, Athlone, at 7.15pm on Thursday, April 20.
