Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take question Nos. 14 to 20, inclusive, together.

This has been an intensive period for British-Irish relations. I will briefly outline to the House the extent of my recent engagements. On Wednesday, 26 October I congratulated the new British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, on his appointment and we discussed a number of issues of mutual interest, including the Northern Ireland protocol. We then had a formal bilateral meeting on 10 November in advance of the British-Irish Council in Blackpool. This was a positive and constructive engagement, where in addition to Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland protocol, we discussed the war in Ukraine, climate change, energy costs and inflation affecting both jurisdictions.

I welcomed the step back the UK Government had taken from calling fresh elections in Northern Ireland. I hope this will allow time to make progress on the EU-UK negotiations on the protocol. I also raised the Government's concerns regarding the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill. I highlighted the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and flagged concerns regarding the stability and functioning of the institutions and the potential for increased polarisation of politics in Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister and I continued our conversation over dinner that evening.

I met British Secretary of State, Michael Gove, at the British-Irish Council, where we discussed a number of issues including the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 and the proposed electronic travel authorisation requirements, which are a matter of concern for us, and would undermine North-South co-operation in key areas such as transport, health and tourism.

The Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and I met to discuss joint initiatives at the British-Irish Council. On 10 November, I also undertook a trade, community and political programme in Manchester to show Government support for Irish business in the north of England. Earlier in the month, I travelled to Oxford to deliver the prestigious Romanes lecture. Finally, I travelled to Enniskillen for the Remembrance Day service on Sunday, 13 November. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland also attended and we had a brief meeting.

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