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Secretary of State Welcomes An Taoiseach to Exhibition Marking the Centenary of the Third Home Rule Bill

Secretary of State Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP and the Rt Hon the Lord Strathclyde, the Leader of the House of Lords, today welcomed An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny to Westminster Hall.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Secretary of State Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP and the Rt Hon the Lord Strathclyde, the Leader of the House of Lords, today welcomed An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny to Westminster Hall. There they attended the opening of a specially commissioned exhibition to mark the centenary of the introduction of the Third Home Rule Bill of 1912. The exhibition offers a balanced overview of the key figures and events that shaped developments at this time.  

Plans are also being made for the exhibition to travel on to Dublin and then Belfast.

Owen Paterson said:

“Following on from his meeting with the Prime Minister today, I am proud to welcome An Taoiseach to this splendid exhibition to mark the centenary of a key event in our shared history. Importantly, this exhibition shows that it is possible to commemorate past events in a balanced way that reflects different perspectives of history.

“The Third Home Rule Bill has different significance for different groups but, importantly, it was an event in which all sides were able to have their say.  

“Too often in Northern Ireland, celebration of the past is a cause of division. As we move forward into a decade of key anniversaries I would urge all of those with influence to ensure that the commemoration of other events is carried out in a respectful manner that educates and promotes mutual understanding.”

Published 12 March 2012