16th Mar 2026 17:33
(Alliance News) - UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves will attend a meeting of EU finance ministers in Dublin later this year, Ireland's deputy premier has said.
Tanaiste Simon Harris met Reeves in London on Monday, where the pair discussed the economic implications of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as well as "positive cooperation" between Ireland and the UK.
Harris, who is also the Irish Finance Minister, told reporters afterwards that he had invited Reeves to address the Economic & Financial Affairs Council during Ireland's presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of this year.
He said: "I've also invited the chancellor to attend our Ecofin meeting that I will host in Dublin in September.
"I think it's important that senior British politicians like Chancellor Reeves are invited to that during the Irish presidency.
"So she is very glad, she accepted my invitation and will visit Dublin in September and participate in that meeting of European finance ministers."
Harris also met Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy while in London.
He said his two meetings were a "really important opportunity to take stock" of the UK-Ireland trading relationship worth two billion euros per week.
"But also, of course, to take an opportunity to discuss and share insights into the ongoing conflict in the Gulf and the Middle East, most particularly between the chancellor and myself on the economic impact of that," he said.
"We know, the longer this conflict goes on, the greater inflationary impact that that has on our economies, we also know the more pressure that puts on commodity prices and indeed, how it can impede economic growth."
The Tanaiste said he also discussed the UK's relationship with the EU when meeting with Reeves, adding: "We want to see our nearest neighbours and friends in Britain have as close a relationship as possible with the EU.
"I think really good work has been done over the course of the last year to strengthen that relationship, but I do want 2026 to be a year now where we see real progress on that."
He said it was "extraordinarily disappointing" that the UK did not manage to secure membership of the EU's Security Action for Europe (Safe) defence fund.
He added: "I hope that's something that can be reviewed."
By Cillian Sherlock, Press Association
Press Association: News
source: PA
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