Environment
Transport
Invasive Species
Energy
Indigenous, Minority and Lesser-Used Languages
Creative Industries
Social Inclusion
Planning and Places
Housing
Early Years
Drugs and Alcohol
The British-Irish Council (BIC) held its 45th Summit meeting today hosted by Guernsey’s Chief Minister, Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez.
Ahead of the Summit, the Chief Minister hosted leaders for a tour of Hauteville House (home to Victor Hugo in the late1800s), as well as a welcome reception and dinner. The welcome reception featured musical entertainment from the Guernsey Music Service.
45th British-Irish Council Summit, Guernsey, Friday 10 July 2026
Communiqué
The British-Irish Council (BIC) held its 45th Summit meeting today, Friday 10 July 2026, hosted by the Government of Guernsey in St Peter Port.
The theme of the Summit was ‘Nurturing Beginnings: Strengthening Early Years and Family Support for Happy, Healthy Childhoods and Lifelong Wellbeing’. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, Chief Minister of the Government of Guernsey.
Nurturing Beginnings: Strengthening Early Years and Family Support for Happy, Healthy Childhoods and Lifelong Wellbeing
The plenary focussed on efforts to support integrated, high quality early years systems which can help give every child a happy, healthy and secure start to life. Among several important discussion points was the topical matter of children and young people’s digital access. Council members discussed how children’s digital needs, risks and opportunities evolve as they grow.
Latest Political Developments
Members briefed the Council on recent developments within their administrations and discussed several domestic and international topics of mutual interest.
Cross-BIC Symposium
Leaders welcomed preparations by officials to mark the breadth and depth of the Council’s work through a cross-cutting Symposium in Edinburgh on 29 September, the title of which is ‘These Islands: Cultivating Communities and Tackling Inequalities’.
Next Summit Meeting
The Council noted that the next BIC Summit will be hosted by the UK Government.
BIC Secretariat
10 July 2026
Plenary Participants
| Government of Guernsey | |
| Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez | Chief Minister |
| Deputy Paul Montague | President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture (Education Minister) |
| Government of Ireland | |
| Micheál Martin TD | Taoiseach |
| Helen McEntee TD | Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Minister for Defence |
| Isle of Man Government | |
| Hon Alfred Cannan MHK | Chief Minister |
| Government of Jersey | |
| Senator Lyndon Farnham | Chief Minister |
| Northern Ireland Executive | |
| Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA | Minister for the Economy |
| Gordon Lyons MLA | Minister for Communities |
| Scottish Government | |
| Jenny Gilruth MSP | Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government |
| UK Government | |
| Rt Hon Darren Jones MP | Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations |
| Welsh Government | |
| Rhun ap Iorwerth MS | Prif Weinidog Cymru / First Minister of Wales |
Merci bian à la Chaef Ministe dé Guernesi, Lindsay d’Sausmarez et à sa guiaine dans l’Gouvernément d’Guernesi pour aver atchilli l’s Administrâtiaons Membes du CIB!
Thank you to Guernsey’s Chief Minister, Lindsay de Sausmarez and her team in the Government of Guernsey for hosting the BIC’s Member Administrations!
At the event hosted by the Government of Guernsey, leaders from the BIC’s eight administrations held a discussion that focused on ‘Nurturing Beginnings: Strengthening Early Years and Family Support for Happy, Healthy Childhoods and Lifelong Wellbeing’. Topical and latest political developments were also discussed.
À l’occâsiaon arrangie par l’Gouvernément d’Guernesi, des captoïnes des huit administrâtiaons du CIB aeurent énne distchutte qui s’interêssait à l’idée dé ‘Tchultivaï les C’menchements: Renforchier l’Soutchian à la Ptite Éfànche et ès Faumilles pour énne Haeuraeuse et Soïne Éfànche et aen Bian-ête Tout du laong d’la vie’. Les droïns dévloppements politiques furent étout distchutaïs, pernànt maer ès affaires d’nouvelles et à laeux effets.