The Church Leaders Group (Ireland) recently engaged in a two-day visit to the European Institutions in Brussels. Those present were Archbishop John McDowell (Church of Ireland Primate), Archbishop Eamon Martin (Roman Catholic Primate), the Rt Revd Dr Richard Murray (Presbyterian Moderator), the Revd Dr John Alderdice (Methodist President), and Bishop Sarah Groves (Irish Council of Churches President), accompanied by the Joint Secretaries to the Group, the Revd Dr Heather Morris and the Revd Trevor Gribben, General Secretaries of the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches in Ireland.

During a busy two days, the Irish Church Leaders met with Vice-President Antonella Sberna of the European Parliament; Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič; the Permanent Representative of Ireland to the EU, Ambassador Aingeal O’Donoghue; and the Head of the UK Mission to the EU, Ambassador Lindsay Croisdale-Appleby, along with other individuals with significant expertise. The Group also engaged extensively with Aodhán Connolly, Director of the Northern Ireland Executive Office in Brussels, and his team, who greatly assisted in the arrangements for the visit.

The Irish Church Leaders sought to recognise the positive progress that had been made over the years following on from Brexit as well as communicating the ongoing concerns and challenges faced by many sectors and communities especially in Northern Ireland. The Church Leaders shared the wide range of perspectives within their communities and noted the strong level of engagement by the people they met with. They welcomed a sincere commitment from these key individuals to building positive relationships between the United Kingdom, Ireland and the European Union, while recognising the challenges and opportunities that remain especially in relation to Northern Ireland.