Theresa May declines invite to make historic speech to Irish parliament

Theresa May declines an invitation to give a historic address to Irish parliament
REUTERS
Saphora Smith25 January 2017
WEST END FINAL

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Theresa May has declined an invitation to become the first Conservative Prime Minister to address the Irish parliament.

The Prime Minister was asked by Taoiseach Enda Kenny to give a speech in the Dail during a one-day official visit to Ireland before the end of the month.

Mrs May would have been the first Tory leader and only the second British prime minister to speak before Dublin's parliament - following on from Tony Blair's ground-breaking address in 1998.

But Mr Kenny has indicated that Mrs May has turned down the offer, originally advanced by the house speaker, or Ceann Comhairle, on a suggestion from the Green Party.

Mr Kenny told the Dail: "My understanding is that the Prime Minister's schedule will not allow that to happen and I am not in control of that schedule.

"Obviously, when details are absolutely finalised, we will be aware of those.

"My understanding is that the visit was to come to Government Buildings to have a Taoiseach to Prime Minister discussion, and to follow that with a particular set of issues.

"It is around this that the visit will take place."

Mrs May and Mr Kenny are due to meet in Dublin to discuss Brexit.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan had said it was vitally important that Mrs May sets out her views on how Brexit will affect Ireland during her visit.

Last November, Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon got a standing ovation when she addressed the upper house of parliament, the Seanad.

Additional reporting by Press Association

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