Ireland and Scotland are to significantly increase diplomatic and political ties, following a meeting between Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan and Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Mr Flanagan said he believed the links between the two countries should be “harnessed” to increase trade and tourism and encourage greater co-operation at EU level on grant applications.

The Irish Government studiously avoided getting involved in last year’s independence debate, and has done the same in the subsequent one now taking place about the scale of devolution that Scotland should enjoy from Westminster. However, the Government has decided that links with Edinburgh need to be deepened. Scottish minister Fiona Hyslop visited Dublin last week, and will be followed next week by the Scottish government’s housing minister.

“I felt after the Scottish referendum and the successful conclusion of the Stormont House Agreement that it was important that we continue to foster close relations,” Mr Flanagan said. “I firmly believe that there is room and scope for a greater level of co-operation over a range of issues between our countries: the economy, trade and tourism.”

The first minister, riding high in the polls, briefed Mr Flanagan on the contested devolution proposals before Westminster, but the political landscape that could exist in Britain after May was not discussed.

UK exit

However, the two did discuss the EU, although Mr Flanagan declined to enter the debate provoked by Ms Sturgeon’s demands that the UK’s constituent nations should each have a veto on a UK exit.

Welcoming the first minister’s declaration the UK should remain in the EU, he said it was now “reasonable to anticipate” that a question on membership of some nature will be put to British voters in coming years.

“I regard it as a duty and an obligation as a foreign minister of a neighbouring country to let my views be known and aired. I don’t have a view on whether there should be a certain majority or a regional dimension.

“I deal with the UK as a full member of the EU, not its constituent parts. It is my firm belief that the best interests of the United Kingdom are best served from within the EU,” he said. The Minister noted Labour leader Ed Miliband’s commitment to have “a Home Rule Bill in the first 100 days” if he wins the election:

Mr Flanagan said the Scottish government is “in many ways envious” of Ireland dominating the international scene with St Patrick’s celebrations.

St Patrick’s Day

Two Ministers will visit Scotland next month, while the first minister had offered to support the “greening” of some major public buildings in Scotland. The Scots, Ms Sturgeon acknowledged, do not have an equivalent to the international reach of St Patrick’s Day, despite the efforts “to place a greater emphasis on Hogmanay, St Andrew’s Day and Burns Night.”

The Minister told Edinburgh’s Europa Institute that the Government had “inherited” the bailout programme in 2011 and had “worked relentlessly to reform and stimulate growth and jobs . . . Huge sacrifices have been required by our people. But the results of the often painful change. . . is now bearing fruit,” he said.