Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 8, inclusive, together.

I spoke with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, by telephone on 11 January 2023. This was my first opportunity to speak with the President since my reappointment as Taoiseach. She offered me her congratulations and we said we looked forward to operating closely on the important agenda of work ahead at European level, not least our collective response to the war in Ukraine and the current economic situation.

We took the opportunity for an exchange on current negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom on the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. I briefed the President on efforts under way to restore the Assembly and Executive in Northern Ireland, as well as the North-South bodies, which are not functioning. We welcomed the improved atmosphere and engagement in the negotiations on the protocol and expressed a shared desire for joint solutions to issues that have arisen for people and businesses in Northern Ireland in its implementation. I thanked the President, Vice-President Šefčovič and their teams for their work and wished them every success in the period ahead. We said we looked forward to meeting in person at the special European Council meeting, which will take place in Brussels on 9 and 10 February.

I met the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week. She looked forward to visiting Dublin and made clear the Parliament’s continuing interest in a positive outcome to the negotiations with the United Kingdom.

I spoke with Prime Minister Sunak by phone on 23 January. We discussed a range of issues, including restoring the democratic institutions in Northern Ireland and the North-South institutions, the ongoing EU negotiations on the protocol and our shared wish to strengthen British-Irish relations more broadly.

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