North-South event to be Varadkar’s last engagement

• Published date: 28 March 2024
• Author: CORMAC McQUINN
• Publication title: Irish Times (Dublin, Ireland)

Political Correspondent The first meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council

in more than 2½ years will be Leo Varadkar’s last official engagement as Taoiseach.

The large-scale meetings between Cabinet Ministers and their counterparts in the North did not take place while powersharing was on hold.

With the Northern Ireland Executive back up and running, First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly will host Ministers from the Republic at the council’s offices in Armagh on April 8th, the day before new Fine Gael leader Simon Harris is expected to be elected taoiseach in the Dáil.

Mr Varadkar and Tánaiste Micheál Martin briefed colleagues on the event during what is expected to be the former Fine Gael leader’s final Cabinet meeting yesterday.

A Government spokesman said it will be the first meeting of the NSMC since July 2021.

Ministers from both sides of the Border are 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.

There are also “urgent” decisions to be made, including the filling of vacancies on the boards of North-South bodies and the appointment of interim chief executives.

The spokesman said the meeting comes against the backdrop of the Irish Government’s “very significant” announcement of €800 million funding for projects in the North, including the A5 road, under the Shared Island initiative.

Elsewhere on the Cabinet agenda, Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys secured approval for the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Saving Systems Bill.

The legislation is designed to ensure that...