After much speculation the new CEO to succeed Jennie McShannon has been announced at an eventful AGM in Birmingham. The morning began with a Welcome Address by Conor McGinn MP and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Irish in Britain. Mr McGinn who once worked for Federation of Irish Societies, before it became Irish in Britain, ended with a heartfelt thank you to the out–going Irish in Britain Chair, Dr Mary Tilki.
Dr Tilki has been at the helm of the organisation for 13 years, and will continue to serve as Patron of Cuimhne, the IiB dementia and memory loss strategy. Dr Tilki commented on how it was ‘terrible timing’ that she and Jennie McShannon were to leave the organisation at the same time but was confident with the appointment of Jennie’s successor, who she named as Peter McNulty. Mr. McNulty, a native of Newry in Co. Down will begin on 2 November and comes from outside the Irish voluntary sector but brings valuable commercial experience to the role.
Patrick Morrison was elected as the new Chair of Irish in Britain in the afternoon. Patrick will be well known to many in Liverpool and from Comhaltas across Britain and Ireland. Six new Trustees were also elected, including Catherine Hennessy, Elizabeth Joyce, Julie O’Hare, Tish Collins, Conrad Bryan and Paul O’Donovan was re–elected.
Four motions were voted on, three were carried and one was not supported by members. The four motions and the voting results by members are as follows:
MOTION 1 – Submitted by the Traveller Movement – Members Voted YES
The Traveller Movement believes that promoting equality and recognising diversity should be at the core of the Irish Community sector. TM considers that this should be reflected by the attainment of an equality and diversity Charter Mark by both Irish in Britain and its members.
The Traveller Movement calls on Irish in Britain to support those organisations from within its membership who wish to pursue accreditation, and to promote relevant schemes and funding opportunities to its members.
MOTION 2 – Submitted by the London Irish LGBT Network – Members Voted YES
After the historic and successful Marriage Equality Referendum in the Republic, in which the diaspora played a major role, with campaigns such as Home to Vote, we now believe that the inequality displayed towards LGBT citizens in Northern Ireland needs to be addressed urgently. The intransigence of political parties such as the DUP is leading to a situation where Northern Ireland is now the only party of these islands where same sex couples are denied the right to marry.
The London Irish LGBT Network call upon Irish in Britain to fully support the campaign for marriage equality in Northern Ireland and to encourage its membership to do likewise. We ask for Irish in Britain to work with the All Party Committee on Irish Affairs and other organisations to bring about change in Northern Ireland and to support the equality of all people living there.
MOTION 3 – Submitted by the Leicester Irish Society – Members Voted NO
The Committee of the Irish in Britain to use all the means at their disposal to put pressure on the Cabinet Office Honours and Appointments Secretariat to have The Most Illustrious Order Of Saint Patrick reinstated in The Queens Honours list
MOTION 4 – Submitted by Colaiste na nGael – Members Voted YES
We wish to donate an Irish government grant to IIB to finance an Irish language prize. This small annual prize would be to the young person who has done the most to promote the Irish language in their local area. The prize would be given to finance Irish language learning resources, or could go towards the cost of a young person attending a residential course in the Gaeltacht. The award would be announced at the IIB AGM, commencing October 2016 to continue annually whilst funding permits.