Alliance Leader Naomi Long MEP will host Former Taoiseach John Bruton, speakers from across Northern Ireland and a cross-party group of MEPs from Ireland and the UK for a high-level hearing on the impact of Brexit on Northern Ireland. It will be the first time such a group of MEPs has been brought together.

MEPs from across the political spectrum in Ireland and the UK will hear from a line-up of speakers from Northern Ireland who will give their views on Brexit in their own words.

The speakers include a youth climate striker and a community worker from the border. They will be joined by John Bruton, who served as Taoiseach from 1994 to 1997 during the Peace Process.

Political speakers will include MEPs from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, Sinn Féin, Scottish National Party, The Green Party of England and Wales, and The Green Party (Ireland).

Speaking at the launch of the event in Strasbourg, Mrs Long said, “With the prorogation of the UK Parliament and the collapse of the devolved government at Stormont, it is vital that the people of Northern Ireland have a voice on Brexit.”

“We cannot leave the people of Northern Ireland who overwhelmingly oppose Brexit, and especially a no deal Brexit, without a voice. This event is an opportunity for them to be heard.”

The event, Shared Future: Cross-Party Brexit Hearing, is taking place on the 25 September 2019 at the European Parliament in Brussels. The discussion will be moderated by Tony Connelly of RTE and William Crawley of the BBC and will be livestreamed on brexithearing.eu.