Taoiseach Simon Harris was greeted by the First and Deputy First Ministers, Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly, after arriving at Stormont for his first official visit to Northern Ireland for a series of engagements.
The schedule is likely to focus on developments since the North’s political institutions were restored at the beginning of February, and will also feature meetings with the leaders of the Alliance Party, the Ulster Unionist Party and the Social Democratic and Labour Party.
Mr Harris’s visit comes as Ireland and the UK engage in a diplomatic argument over immigration, with many international applicants crossing into the Republic from the UK via the North.
The taoiseach and the first and deputy first ministers are believed to have discussed opportunities for all-island co-operation as well as areas of common interest, while Mr Harris will meet with business stakeholders for discussion over a working lunch.
Later today, the taoiseach will visit the Duncairn Arts Centre in north Belfast, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, where the focus will be on reconciliation and community development projects, some of which have been recipients of Irish Government funding programmes.
The final engagement of the day is expected to be a visit to Queen’s University Belfast, where Mr Harris will meet academics involved in programmes co-funded by the Shared Island Fund.
The schedule is likely to focus on developments since the North’s political institutions were restored at the beginning of February, and will also feature meetings with the leaders of the Alliance Party, the Ulster Unionist Party and the Social Democratic and Labour Party.
Mr Harris’s visit comes as Ireland and the UK engage in a diplomatic argument over immigration, with many international applicants crossing into the Republic from the UK via the North.
The taoiseach and the first and deputy first ministers are believed to have discussed opportunities for all-island co-operation as well as areas of common interest, while Mr Harris will meet with business stakeholders for discussion over a working lunch.
Later today, the taoiseach will visit the Duncairn Arts Centre in north Belfast, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, where the focus will be on reconciliation and community development projects, some of which have been recipients of Irish Government funding programmes.
The final engagement of the day is expected to be a visit to Queen’s University Belfast, where Mr Harris will meet academics involved in programmes co-funded by the Shared Island Fund.