PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin [November 2022]

The Prime Minister welcomed the Taoiseach Micheál Martin to Blackpool as the host venue for the partners of the 38th British-Irish Council.

He expressed his commitment to working closely on matters of shared interest, and to deepen UK-Irish ties, particularly in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine and the associated energy crisis.

The Prime Minister set out the UK government’s decision to introduce legislation to provide a short extension to the period for Executive formation and reiterated his firm commitment to upholding the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions.

On the Northern Ireland protocol, the Prime Minister stressed that the UK’s strong preference is for a negotiated solution with the EU. He reiterated that any deal must solve the full range of issues caused by the protocol but hoped for flexibility and pragmatism.