DAVID CAMERON:BRITISH PRIME minister David Cameron has described the state visit of Queen Elizabeth to Ireland as "hugely successful and very significant" while Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said the reaction here had been "exceptionally positive".
The two men were speaking in Government Buildings after the arrival of the prime minister for a meeting with the Taoiseach ahead of last night’s State dinner in Dublin Castle in honour of the Queen. Mr Cameron thanked the Taoiseach for the “very warm welcome” he had received on his first official visit to Ireland.
“I am absolutely delighted to be here particularly delighted to be here at the same time as the hugely successful and very significant visit by Her Majesty the Queen. I think everyone back in the UK has been very struck by the pictures and scenes and the warm welcome she has had. And I think this visit will set the seal on what is already a very strong relationship between the two countries but the relationship can I believe get even stronger still,” Mr Cameron said.
Mr Cameron said the relationship between the two countries was about trade and investment and the economy and they were working very closely together, including in the European Union.
He said the relationship also involved shared interests around security, adding that the working together between the PSNI and the Garda had never been stronger. “Above all, it is a relationship of opportunity. Of two very close neighbours and very close friends who share a huge amount together and I think there are great opportunities for us to do even more things in the future together.”
The Taoiseach described the reaction to the royal visit as “exceptionally positive” and said he was very grateful to the prime minister for coming over for the State dinner. “We are going to have a discussion here. Obviously we want to talk about how coalitions work. We are used to that in this country but it is a relatively new experience for a British government to be a coalition,” Mr Kenny joked.
He said the discussions would involve issues that affected both countries in terms of trade and tourism and co-operation. He said there were concerns about vigilance in terms of security and that would be discussed as well.
“I am personally very grateful to the prime minister for his support to Ireland in terms of the bilateral loan which has been agreed,” said Mr Kenny.
He welcomed an announcement about the possibility of the Olympic flag passing from Belfast to Dublin before the Olympics in London next year.