Gardaí warn of traffic disruption as UK PM Keir Starmer visits Cork

Gardaí have warned of traffic disruption during Thursday and Friday’s visit to Cork city of UK prime minister Keir Starmer.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will welcome Mr Starmer to Cork on Thursday for the second annual UK-Ireland Summit.

Mr Starmer will arrive at Cork Airport on Thursday afternoon, departing on Friday afternoon, and normal operations are expected to continue throughout at the airport, but the public is warned to allow additional travelling time due to possible road closures.

The visit will be concentrated in Cork city throughout both days.

Lapp’s Quay, Connell St, and Terence MacSwiney Quay will all be closed on Thursday between 4pm and 10pm.

Localised road closures are also expected to facilitate events, with temporary rolling road closures to facilitate security escorts over the course of Thursday evening and Friday morning.

With the prime minister staying at the Fota Island Hotel, gardaí have advised that members of the public travelling in around the airport, city centre, and Fota Island on Thursday evening and Friday morning allow time for disruptions and to expect some localised delays.

Speaking in Cork ahead of the summit, Mr Martin said that at last year’s inaugural UK-Ireland Summit in Liverpoo, he and Mr Starmer had agreed a comprehensive programme of strategic co-operation.

“Today we will mark the progress on what has been achieved over the course of the past year and reaffirm our commitment to deepen and broaden further the co-operation, friendship and partnership between Ireland and the UK this year and out to 2030,” he said.

“This summit takes place against an uncertain global backdrop and will be an opportunity to take stock of international issues, including the concerning situation in the Middle East and Gulf Region, and in Ukraine.

“Each day we see how international events can impact also on our domestic ambitions and daily lives, as well as on global security.” He added that over the course of the summit, both leaders would discuss ways of strengthening competitiveness and resilience, while reducing the cost of living, protecting both countries’ marine environment, delivering essential infrastructure at pace and scale, and ensuring energy affordability and energy security.

Ireland is the UK’s sixth largest trading partner, with Irish companies employing approximately 150,000 people in the UK.

The UK is Ireland’s second largest trading partner and over the past decade, annual bilateral trade has increased by 107% to €129 billion.