AN TAOISEACH Micheál Martin is in Liverpool today for the first annual UK-Ireland Summit. It is expected that the meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will address key areas of collaboration between the British and Irish governments.
Among the topics for discussion, AI, fiscal growth and international security are expected to be the main issues, with the two leaders hoping to come to an arrangement about how best their respective governments can cooperate.
The summit will also include participation from several key cabinet members, including Tánaiste Simon Harris, Education Minister Helen McEntee, Climate Minister Darragh O’Brien and Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan from the Irish Government.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn, Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy are scheduled to attend on behalf of the UK Government.
The tone in the lead-up to the summit has been cordial from both sides, with Prime Minister Starmer keen to repair the cooling of diplomatic relations which took place under the preceding Tory administration. As part of this, the Taoiseach and Prime Minister both attended a bilateral dinner last night in preparation for today’s meeting.
Though the finer points of last night’s discussion have not yet been released, it is understood that the United States’ recent aggressive trade measures as well as its decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine were addressed as topics of concern.
It is expected that today the UK and Irish governments will sign off on a UK-Ireland 2030 cooperation plan, involving both countries working closely to build mutual energy security and to encourage the development of offshore wind projects in the Irish Sea.
Speaking last night, Taoiseach Martin said that the UK and Ireland: “Are close economic partners with a bilateral trade relationship worth approximately €100 billion annually.
“Ireland is the UK’s sixth largest trading partner and the UK is Ireland’s second largest trading partner.”
The two governments will also discuss Irish investment into the UK, worth an estimated £185 million. This, according to Irish sources, will include deals involving companies like Applegreen, Buymedia, Galvia, Omniplex, PM Group, Uniquely, Version 1 and Walsh Mushrooms. It is expected that this series of investments will create 2,540 new jobs.