THE 41st British Irish Parliamentary Assembly is being held in the Isle of Man for the first time.

The plenary will take place on Monday, November 22, and Tuesday, November 23, at the Villa Marina.

It will debate the Saville Report on Bloody Sunday which was published in June.

Constituents will also be addressed by the new secretary of state for Northern Ireland Owen Patterson MP.

Also on the agenda is a discussion on how investment and support for tourism can contribute to economic recovery in the Isle of Man, Britain, and Ireland.

Speaker of the House of Keys Steve Rodan MHK said: "I am very pleased that the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly is coming to the Island for the first time as it usually alternates between the Irish Republic and UK.

"This move reflects, I think, the increasing importance of the Assembly's dealing with issues of concern right across the British Isles - not just the more traditional Northern Ireland issues.
 
"This is something of a coup for the Isle of Man raising our international profile amongst prominent British and Irish parliamentarians.

"The Assembly's steering group met here two years ago and so impressed were they with our conference facilities and with the Island itself that they readily accepted my invitation to return for a plenary conference."

The Isle of Man will also be the location for a British Irish Council summit in December 2010 which will be chaired by the Chief Minister.