Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of current relations between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

The strength of the bilateral relationship between the UK and Ireland is of fundamental importance to both countries. Our interconnected histories, cultures, and economies make it vital that the UK and Ireland are able to work together in a spirit of friendship, understanding, and cooperation. We have a shared responsibility for upholding the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, to which the Government is firmly committed. Most recently, the Prime Minister spoke to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on 23 January, and the Foreign Secretary to Tanaiste and Foreign Minister, Micheál Martin on 2 February.