Hailing a “reset” of Anglo-Irish relations after the public divisions of the Brexit era, Taoiseach Simon Harris welcomed the British prime minister Keir Starmer to Farmleigh House in Dublin today, where the two men are having a working lunch and later meet a number of business leaders.
Later they will attend the Ireland-England football match at Lansdowne Road later today.
After Mr Harris welcomed Mr Starmer on the steps of the mansion, the two leaders walked in the gardens of Farmleigh for a number of photo opportunities. They met nine-year old Freddie Munnelly from Castleknock in Dublin and his family, who has received two liver transplants in London
They received Ireland and England scarves from the Munnelly family and exchanged Ireland and England football jerseys.
[ ‘A la carte’ new Brexit deal with EU not on table, Micheál Martin warnsOpens in new window ]
Later, sitting in the library at the State guest house, Mr Harris welcomed “Dear Keir” and said they had the opportunity to “really place British and Irish relations on a new path”. He said that the two men would “flesh out what a reset looks like”.
Mr Starmer also pointed to a “moment of reset” and said they would “put meaning behind those words”. He pointed to the two governments’ “joint role” in implementing the Belfast Agreement and to the similar positions on Ukraine and Gaza, where he said both governments wanted to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and the transfer of aid to Gaza “so we can step down the path towards a two-state solution”.
He said the fact that this was their second meeting, when he was only eight or nine weeks in office, showed the determination of both governments to improve relations.
A joint statement is expected from the two leaders later this afternoon.
[ ‘From friction to friendship’: Harris, Starmer pledge Anglo-Irish resetOpens in new window ]
