Taoiseach to meet UK prime minister Keir Starmer in Liverpool

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

The Taoiseach will meet with the British prime minister in Liverpool this evening for the first of a series of annual UK-Ireland summits.

Micheál Martin and Keir Starmer will co-host a reception on Wednesday evening, which is designed to celebrate cultural links between Britain and Ireland.

It comes after both governments signalled a desire for a “reset” in relations, which had been put under strain throughout Brexit and the previous UK government’s laws to deal with legacy issues of the Troubles.

The two leaders will also host a round table with businesses across the tech, energy, construction and manufacturing sectors – which have operations on both sides of the Irish Sea – on Thursday morning.

They are expected to agree what is being described as a “wide-ranging programme of new and enhanced strategic co-operation” between Ireland and the UK, to be taken forward by both governments through to 2030.

Mr Martin said: “This summit is one of the most significant bilateral engagements between the British and Irish Governments in a generation and shows the resolve of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and I to put in place the building blocks to bring strategic co-operation between our two countries to a new level.

“I am keen now that we work in partnership on a structured and ongoing basis to realise the full potential of the British-Irish relationship across a comprehensive programme of co-operation, including on infrastructure delivery, opportunities for SMEs, marine planning, energy, education and culture.”

Mr Martin will be joined by Ireland’s deputy premier Simon Harris, who is also the country’s defence and foreign affairs minister for the summit plenary meeting later on Thursday.

The Prime Minister previously met Mr Harris in Dublin when he held the position of taoiseach last year.

The Irish delegation also includes Education Minister Helen McEntee, Climate, Energy and Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien, and Justice and Home Affairs Minister Jim O’Callaghan.