Taoiseach Micheál Martin greeting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Cork Airport ahead of the second annual UK-Ireland Summit. UK prime minister Keir Starmer has said Ireland and the UK have entered a “new era” of relations amid a period of “dramatic” global uncertainty. Mr Starmer said Ireland holds a “very special place” in his heart, and he counted the visit as both personal and political. “The relationship between Ireland and the UK is shaped by geography, history, family ties, trade and a shared responsibility for peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland,” he added. Speaking in Belfast earlier Mr Starmer said he had tried to “reset” relations between Britain and Ireland and it is in a “better place” now.

Source: Irish Independent March 12, 2026 23:53 UTC