British prime minister David Cameron is to make his first visit to Ireland next Wednesday to coincide with the visit by Queen Elizabeth.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny confirmed the visit today. Mr Kenny said Mr Cameron would visit Government Buildings for a meeting on Wednesday. The Taoiseach held a bilateral meeting with the prime minister in Downing Street last month.
Mr Kenny said the British prime minister had been “very supportive” of Ireland and that they had a very good working relationship, in terms of business and politics in both an inter-country and a European context.
“I am very happy to have had the support of [Mr] Cameron, and indeed his government was one of the first to offer bilateral loan arrangements for Ireland.”
Mr Kenny said he looked forward to meeting his counterpart to discuss issues between the two countries, issues relating to Europe and also the new Northern Ireland Assembly.
He said the Government hoped to work with the Assembly and the British government in the interests of developing the economy of the island and the issues that are of interest to both of us on both sides of the Border.
Tory chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne last year agreed a €3.8 billion, 7½-year loan to Ireland to support its economic stabilisation plan and “restore its capacity to finance itself”.
The visits by Mr Cameron and the queen come just days before the arrival of US president Barack Obama. The queen arrives on May 17th, with Mr Cameron arriving a day later on May 18th. Mr Obama arrives on May 22nd.
Gardaí and the Defence Forces are engaged in a massive security operation involving up to 10,000 personnel. The operations mean members will be drafted from all over the country into the locations to be visited by the dignitaries, as local staffing levels will not be sufficient.