On Saturday, September 7th Brexit, the upcoming budget and the possibility of an imminent general election will be all be discussed in detail by the expert guest speakers at the 2019 Kennedy Summer School which will take place in New Ross, County Wexford from September 5th to 7th.
At 2 pm on Saturday afternoon in a session chaired by Dr Ciara Kelly panellists Regina Doherty TD, Jim O’Callaghan TD, Mick Wallace MEP and Joan Burton TD will participate in what will doubt be a lively discussion on Irish politics, Brexit negotiations, the imminent budget and whether it is time for a general election.
Directly afterwards at 3 pm that afternoon, DUP Chief Whip at Westminster Jeffrey Donaldson MP and former Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Senator Michael Mcdowell will take to the stage at St. Michael’s Theatre to discuss the twists and turns of Brexit. The spotlight has been very much on Northern Ireland in 2019 not least because the question of a “backstop” ensuring a soft or no border on the island of Ireland has been centre stage during various stages of Brexit negotiations. There is a prospect of both Dáil elections and Westminster elections later this year or early next year. Talks are likely to continue between the Northern Ireland parties and the two governments about the prospect of revitalising the political institutions at Stormont. In the more medium term, the workings out of the Brexit process and the increasing attention on whether and when there might be a border poll demands consideration in the wider context of relationships between the people and traditions on these islands.
And at 4.45pm that afternoon the US Politics panel discussion will be chaired by NUI Galway Law Lecturer and Political Commentator Larry Donnelly and he will be joined by prominent American political expert panellists, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins, US columnists Cal Thomas, Chair of Republicans Overseas UK Sarah Elliott, founder of Irish America magazine, Irish Voice newspaper and www.Irish Central.com Niall O’Dowd and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Ireland in Washington DC Michael Lonergan. They will discuss and debate the future of the Trump administration and will reflect on his time in office to date, consider his chances of re-election in 2020 and also discuss the particularly crowded race for the Democratic nominee.
