Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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157. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has contacted the new leader of the Scottish National Party, Mr. Humza Yousaf, with a view to meeting with him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16456/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach and I, and our colleagues in Government, look forward to engaging with the new Scottish Government in the period ahead.

I have congratulated the new First Minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, on his appointment and look forward to working with him and his Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson, to deepen Ireland’s bilateral relationship with Scotland.  

Ireland and Scotland are close neighbours and friends.  The Ireland-Scotland Joint Bilateral Review Report 2021-2025 provides an important framework to deepen engagement and to collaborate across a range of areas of mutual interest.  There continues to be strong delivery across all strands of the framework and I look forward to meeting soon with Cabinet Secretary Robertson to review progress.  

Separately, the British Irish Council provides an important framework for regular engagement at political and official levels across these islands.  Scotland plays a key role in supporting this important institution under Strand 3 of the Good Friday Agreement by hosting the BIC Secretariat in Edinburgh.  We look forward to inviting the First Minister to Ireland for a British Irish Council Summit later this year.