ALEX Salmond is to pick up a major accolade from one of Ireland’s leading universities when he visits Dublin over the coming days.
The former First Minister will be presented with the Praeses Elit Award by Trinity College’s Law Society which said it is “in recognition for his outstanding contribution to politics and public service”.
He will receive the award on Monday evening at the university where he will also address students and take part in a question and answer session with leading Irish Times journalist Mark Hennessy.
“The Trinity Praeses Elit Award is awarded to individuals who have truly excelled in their chosen vocation,” said Kean Kavanagh, auditor of Trinity College Dublin Law Society.
“Mr Salmond has an outstanding record in public service, and commanded global headlines in recent years as he spearheaded the fight for Scottish independence. We are delighted and honoured to welcome him to the Law Society, and to present him with the Praeses Elit as recognition of his outstanding career.”
Salmond (pictured, right) served as First Minister from 2007 to 2014, and over the years has been a high profile enthusiast of forging closer economic and cultural ties between Scotland and both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
He stood down as First Minister and also as SNP leader following the Yes campaign’s defeat in the independence referendum by 55 per cent to 45 per cent in September last year.
Salmond continues to firmly believe in the fight for Scottish independence and is now the SNP MP for Gordon and spokesman on foreign affairs at Westminster.
In July this year he said a second referendum on independence is “inevitable”, and that the only thing that remained in doubt was timing. He argued that three issues are driving the move towards a second referendum: the UK Government’s refusal to deliver the Vow on home rule, questions over the UK’s membership of the EU in the run-up to the referendum and the Tories’s austerity agenda.
He said that the country is getting “austerity to the max” instead of “devo to the max.”
The award from Trinity College Dublin is given to recipients in recognition of their excellence achievement in their fields.
Canadian astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield, Ertharin Cousin, head of the United Nations World Food programme, Lord Neuburger, president of the UK Supreme Court and Louise Arbour, the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights are among previous recipients.
During his visit to Ireland Salmond will also take part in a round table meeting at the Institute for International and European Affairs in Dublin to discuss the UK’s referendum on EU membership and implications it might have for Ireland.
He will appear on the popular Ray D’Arcy talk show on RTE television on Saturday night.
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