So good evening everyone, welcome to the Irish Embassy. My name is Adrian O'Neill and I'm the

Ambassador of Ireland. I'm delighted to see a full house or practically a full house. I can't

imagine what the attraction is. It's amazing what an editorial in the Sun will do for your

interest profile. All attention gratefully received.

But we're delighted to be hosting this event tonight with the Centre for European Reform,

with whom we've had an excellent relationship over the years.

And I'm very pleased to welcome Charles Grant, the director of the Centre, just recently

back from Brussels,

as well as Ian Bond, Foreign Policy Director for the Centre and the rest of their team

who are here tonight.

I also welcome our guests from the House of Commons and the House of Lords who span

the spectrum of political affiliation in Westminster, and representatives from Whitehall,

the think tank community, business and the media.

But a special welcome to our speakers this evening,

Dr. Edward Burke, who is an assistant professor

in international relations at the University of Nottingham,

and the author of the policy brief that is being

launched tonight entitled Ulster's Fight, Ulster's Rights, Brexit, Northern Ireland and the

threat to British Irish relations. Also Keelan Galaher, QC, a public law specialist with Doughty Street

Chambers who will respond to the paper.

Keelan is a graduate of University College Dublin, the King's Inn in Dublin and Cambridge University.

Carolyn Quinn, a journalist who will be well known to many of you as the host of the Westminster Hour on BBC Radio 4,

...