Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin, expressed guarded optimism for the potential restoration of Stormont following a meeting in London on Wednesday with Britain’s foreign secretary David Cameron.
“From what I’ve seen, progress has been made,” Mr Martin said, after he emerged from the bilateral discussion with his British opposite number at the Carlton Gardens mansion near the Mall in London, which is the foreign secretary’s official residence.
He said he was “hopeful” that a £2.5 billion financial package for Northern Ireland hat has been offered by the British government could help smooth the way to the restoration of the Stormont Assembly and Executive.
At the same time that Mr Martin was meeting Lord Cameron, UK prime minister Rishi Sunak was in Westminster telling Jeffrey Donaldson, the leader of the DUP, that he was prepared to change the law to protect Northern Ireland’s place in the UK market.
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Mr Donaldson asked Mr Sunak during prime minister’s questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons if he would adjust the UK Internal Market Act to allay unionist concerns over the “border in the Irish Sea” that he said was created by the UK’s post-Brexit trade arrangements with the European Union.
Mr Sunak responded to say that he “recognises” the issue. “The [UK} government does stand ready to legislate to protect Northern Ireland’s place in the UK market,” the prime minister said.
Meanwhile, Mr Martin also discussed the war in Gaza, the war in Ukraine, and the need for the Republic and Britain to work closer together on international development aid, during their “warm and fruitful” 90 minute discussion.
While they met, it was highlighted during PMQs by the Scottish National Party that the Republic had voted at the United Nations on Tuesday for a ceasefire in Gaza, but that Britain had not.
Mr Martin acknowledged that the Irish and British governments had different views on the matter, and said he had relayed the Irish position that a ceasefire was needed immediately.
He said he had also raised with Lord Cameron the need to protect Palestinians in the West Bank from increasing levels of “aggression” by Jewish settlers, who live there under the protection of the Israeli government.
“We focused on what a political pathway would look like in terms of resolving the crisis,” he said.
Mr Martin said they had also discussed the need to support Ukraine “for as long as it takes” in its war with Russia.
He also said agreement had been reached for British and Irish officials to conduct joint development programmes in the realm of foreign aid. He said it was important for the two governments “to work collectively at international level to solve problems” in countries that are the source of increasing levels of migration to Europe.
“That’s why developmental assist is so important. We need to improve the quality of life in many areas so people don’t decide to migrate.”
Mr Martin acknowledged the fact that his meeting with Lord Cameron was unusual, in that it was two former government leaders who were now foreign ministers meeting.
“As PM he cared about the Irish-British relationship. He made a particular response [at the time] to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry which was very sensitive and he called it right that day. I said that to him today. I feel that he gets it [the Irish-UK relationship.”
While in London, Mr Martin also visited the London Irish Centre in Camden to announce Government funding of €2.2 million towards the centre’s proposed redevelopment, bringing total Irish taxpayer support for the project to €3.35 million.
“This will give a significant fillip to the fund raising project that the London Irish Centre is getting under way. It is a strong signal of the Irish Government’s commitment to the project,” the Tánaiste said.
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