Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris has spoken with the newly appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey.
Mr Healey was a surprise appointment last week by new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
A former defence minister under Keir Starmer, Mr Healey had resigned that position in recent months over disagreements with Mr Starmer about defence spending levels.
Mr Harris and the British Chancellor discussed a range of issues including the Ireland-UK economic and trading relationship, Ireland’s EU Presidency priorities, EU-UK relations, and ongoing engagement between his Department and His Majesty’s Treasury.
Mr Harris invited Chancellor Healey to attend the informal gathering of EU Finance Ministers in Dublin in September.
They also both agreed to hold bilateral talks at the G20 meeting of Finance Ministers in Asheville, North Carolina next month, and the two agreed to remain in close contact.
Mr Harris said they had “a warm and substantive engagement around a range of issues and we have agreed to meet next month at the G20 meeting of Finance Ministers in the US,” adding that he looks forward to working with Mr Healey in the months and years ahead “to deliver mutually beneficial outcomes for both Ireland and the United Kingdom”.
