Leo Varadkar making last visit to NI as taoiseach

Ministers have participated in the first full in-person meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council (NSMC) since 2020.

Leo Varadkar is making his last visit to Northern Ireland as taoiseach at the meeting in Armagh.

The cross-border gathering of ministers did not happen while power sharing was suspended.

It was hosted and chaired by First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

Monday's meeting comes a day before new Fine Gael leader Simon Harris is elected taoiseach (Irish prime minister).

Mr Harris is also attending, along with other Irish cabinet ministers and ministers from the Northern Ireland Executive parties.

Last month, Mr Varadkar announced that he would step down as Fine Gael leader and taoiseach, citing "personal and political reasons".

He was Ireland's youngest prime minister when he became Fine Gael leader at 38 in 2017.

But that record is set to be broken by Mr Harris, who is 37, when he is elected as taoiseach in the Dáil (lower house of Irish parliament) on Tuesday.

'Good neighbours'

At a press conference on Monday, Ms O'Neill said it was great to have the opportunity discuss the "many shared areas of collaboration".

She said that with Stormont and the NSMC back up and running there was a "huge opportunity to work collaboratively across the island and to take forward many of the areas that we have been focused on over the years".

She said it was a "good, productive meeting" with a good conversation around some shared priorities including major infrastructure projects such as the A5, Casement Park, Narrow Water Bridge and the Ulster Canal.

Ms Little-Pengelly said she welcomed the restoration of the NSMC meeting.

"It is important as we move forward that we are good neighbours to each other, that we build those relationships with each other and that we have these forums to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern," she added.

'My last major engagement'

Mr Varadkar is making his final visit as taoiseach to the NSMC, and is accompanied by Tánaiste (Irish deputy PM) Micheál Martin and Irish Transport Minister Eamon Ryan.

Speaking in advance, Mr Varadkar described Monday's meeting as a "really significant and positive moment for the island of Ireland".

"It's an honour to lead the Irish delegation of ministers to meet with our Northern Ireland Executive counterparts in my last major engagement as taoiseach," he said.

"Many of the challenges facing the world today are shared across the island, whether climate change, energy security, good jobs, and ensuring that our workforces have the skills they need for the future.

"I will also take this opportunity to wish the first minister and deputy first minister well in their roles to achieve the best for all the people of Northern Ireland.

"We are working with the executive to build on the peace and prosperity of the last 26 years to make sure it is shared by all."

What is the the North-South Ministerial Council?

It was set up under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and involves ministers from Dublin and Stormont working together on "matters of mutual interest".

The council covers six areas of co-operation: agriculture, education, environment, health, tourism and transport.

Common policies and approaches are agreed, but implemented separately in each jurisdiction.

It last met in July 2021 in plenary form, but at that time some delegates had to take part by videoconferencing due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The NSMC was later suspended when power sharing at Stormont collapsed in 2022.

Prior to its collapse, DUP ministers had taken a decision to boycott the meetings in protest at the Northern Ireland Protocol, but this was ruled unlawful by the High Court.

What is likely to be on the agenda?

The meeting comes against the backdrop of the Irish government's announcement of €800m (£686m) funding for projects in Northern Ireland, including the A5 road, under the Shared Island initiative.

Ministers from both sides of the border are also expected to hear details of a progress report on economic matters and north-south co-operation, and will plan for a series of ministerial-level sectoral meetings.

An Irish government statement said: "Discussions are likely to focus on trade and business issues, investment in areas of mutual interest, and ongoing cooperation through the restored North South Ministerial Council and the North South implementation bodies."

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The NSMC differs from other cross-government bodies as it only involves north-south co-operation.

Ministers met under it regularly as a forum during the coronavirus pandemic to discuss cross-border health policies and ways of managing different Covid regulations.