British prime minister Keir Starmer promised a “new era” of co-operation with the Republic as he opened a summit between the two governments on Thursday morning. “We have turned the page on the turbulent years of [the recent UK-Ireland relationship],” said Mr Starmer, as he laid out an agenda covering economic co-operation, domestic and international security and climate change.
In his opening remarks at the start of the summit Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the meeting – at the Inglewood Manor hotel on the Wirral peninsula, near Liverpool – was “the most extensive summit in a generation” between the two states.
He also paid tribute to Mr Starmer for his recent diplomacy with the US over Ukraine and European security. “The economy and security are inextricably linked. You cannot have a thriving prosperous economy without the security that underpins it,” he said.
The meeting is the inaugural UK-Ireland Summit, which will be held annually from now on. It was first mooted when then taoiseach Simon Harris met Mr Starmer at his Chequers retreat last July shortly after the UK Labour leader won a landslide election victory.
Dublin bus routes move, paving way for traffic-free Parliament Street
‘One was always watching’: Woman raped by three men from nightclub said they acted like ‘predators’
Trump tariffs live updates: China raises levies on US goods to 84% as EU agrees package of 25% tariffs
School to stop disciplinary process against teacher who says she was wrongly identified as ‘GAA catfish’
The centrepiece of the summit was a 90-minute head-to-head between the two governments, with each side represented by five Cabinet members. Joining the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste were Minister for Transport, Climate and Environment Darragh O’Brien; Minister for Education Helen McEntee; and Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan.
Their opposite numbers on the British side were the prime minister and his deputy prime minister Angela Rayner; home secretary Yvette Cooper; Ed Miliband, secretary for energy security; and Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland Secretary.
After the summit a joint statement was issued by the Taoiseach and the British prime minister detailing a swathe of areas where the two governments would deepen co-operation.
The statement included a pledge to update a decade-old agreement between the two governments on defence, which covered issues such as military training. They also promised to co-operate more on cybersecurity, and to deepen co-operation on culture and to “explore future co-hosting opportunities in the area of sports”.
The two sides also discussed security and peacekeeping. The dominant theme of the talks, however, appeared to be on the issue of energy security and joint action on renewables.
“We have agreed today to work together to mobilise investment into strategic infrastructure in the Irish and Celtic Seas by establishing frameworks to guide private investment,” said the two leaders.
They also agreed to share more data between maritime agencies and a joint initiative to map the sea basin of British and Irish waters.
Formal proceedings had kicked off on Wednesday evening with a cultural reception hosted by the British in Liverpool. That was followed by a private dinner in Liverpool city centre between the Taoiseach and prime minister. They also attended a business breakfast on Thursday morning.
While the economic co-operation was originally intended to be the main focus of the event – the British side announced up to £185 million of investment in the UK by Irish companies – it was also clear from both leaders’ opening remarks that Ukraine crisis had driven security up the agenda.
“The world is more uncertain and unstable,” said Mr Starmer. “The need for a strong and settled relationship between UK and Ireland has never been greater. The world has changed dramatically since the [two countries] last set out a vision for the relationship, back in 2012.”
Mr Martin said the two countries needed to work more closely together on maritime security, to protect subsea cables and gas interconnectors in the Irish and Celtic seas.
“We have a lot of work to do,” said the Taoiseach. “[But] in the context of all the turbulence around the world, the UK and Ireland is seen as a haven for investment.”
As the Taoiseach prepared to head off after the summit to Brussels for a crucial meeting of European leaders on defence the UK prime minister also highlighted that a closer relationship with the Republic would help the UK build a stronger alliance with the European Union.
