merrion street

The Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath TD, will travel to London this afternoon (Wednesday, 25 January) for a two-day official visit which will include a meeting at No. 11 Downing Street with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt MP. 

Following their brief informal meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, the Minister will meet with Odile Renaud-Basso, President of the London-based European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The Irish government recently contributed €4 million to the EBRD’s Small Business Impact Fund to support Ukraine. 

On Thursday morning, Minister McGrath will meet with his UK counterpart, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt MP. The Minister will also meet with the Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey; the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Nicholas Lyons; and the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP. 

Ahead of his visit, Minister McGrath said:

“Ireland’s relationship with our neighbours and friends in the UK is and always will be a very important one, not least for our respective economies which are underpinned by strong bilateral trade flows between our two countries. 

I look forward to discussing this relationship during my series of meetings, conscious of the ongoing efforts to resolve issues around the Protocol – efforts which must be given the necessary time and space to bear fruit. 

Needless to say, I will also be discussing current political and economic issues at a time of great challenge in Europe and beyond”. 

ENDS