The Council of the Isles and the Scotland-Northern Ireland Relationship

The British-Irish Council (BIC), colloquially known as The Council of the Isles', forms Strand Three of the Good Friday Agreement of 10 April 1998, the result of the multiparty negotiations on the future of Northern Ireland (The Agreement 1998, pp. 14-16). The BIC will comprise representatives of the British and Irish governments, devolved institutions in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and representatives of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. The purpose of the Council, as laid down in the Agreement, will be 'to promote the harmonious and mutually beneficial development of the totality of relationships amongst peoples of these islands' (p. 14, para. 1), and 'to exchange information, discuss, consult and use best endeavours to reach agreement on co-operation on matters of mutual interest within the competence of the relevant Administrations' (p. 14, para. 5). In his speech to the Irish Parliament on 26 November 1998, British Prime Minister Tony Blair related the BIC to his hopes for the development of a common approach and a new era of co-operation between the UK and the Republic of Ireland (Belfast Telegraph 26 November 1998).