Prime Ministers Office 10 Downing Street
The Prime Minister spoke to the Taoiseach today to update him on the UK Governments negotiations with the DUP and Northern Ireland parties, following last nights positive step fromthe DUP. The Prime Minister said he is confident that the steps taken pave the way for the restoration of power sharing in the Northern Ireland Executive.
The Prime Minister outlined the terms of the agreement, alongside the significant support being prepared to stabilise public services. He hoped this would provide a strong basis forthe long-term political stability of Northern Ireland.
Both leaders agreed that it was in the people of Northern Irelands interests to have stable devolved government, and that this was also beneficial to relations between the UK andIreland.
Turning to bilateral matters, the leaders addressed the Irish Governments launching of an Inter-State Case on the UK Governments Legacy Act.
The Prime Minister expressed his disappointment at the timing and course of action in December, coming at such a sensitive time. He noted that the Irish Government had yet to respondto important questions about its own approach to legacy issues, including with regard to investigations into the 1998 Omagh bombing. The UK government would continue to pursue answers to those questions which had been laid out by the Secretary of State, includingwith regard to the lack of criminal prosecutions in Ireland.
The Prime Minister updated the Taoiseach on his recent visit to Kyiv. He outlined how the UK would continue to proactively support Ukraine in its battle for self-defence. The UK hadthought it important to begin the year with a strong signal of support including with a new package of funding and the first of the bilateral security arrangements which G7 and other countries had committed to last year. The Prime Minister expressed hopethat others would follow suit soon.
The leaders agreed both governments would stay in close contact in the coming days, as steps are taken to see fully functioning devolution restored, as set out in the Belfast