UK, Irish premiers meet at Stormont, discuss Northern Ireland's devolution restoration

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday met his Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar to discuss pivotal matters concerning Northern Ireland's political landscape and the enduring UK-Irish relationship.

The timing of the meeting is poignant, coming just days after the devolved government's resurgence following the Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) decision to terminate its two-year boycott.

The DUP's recent agreement with the government on post-Brexit trade rules on goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland adds layers of complexity and urgency to ongoing discussions.

Acknowledging the challenges that have underscored the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland, Sunak in an official statement expressed his gratitude to the Irish government for its steadfast support throughout the process.

"This had been a challenging time, but patience had proved key to a deal. Now that the institutions were up and running again, he wanted to see all three strands functioning equally well. The sense of relief and optimism from people in Northern Ireland had been very striking and made it all worthwhile," the statement added.

"The leaders reiterated their shared view that a stable, effective and successful Northern Ireland benefitted the UK-Irish relationship immensely. They looked forward to remaining in close contact," it added.