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Following today’s appointment of Ms. Arlene Foster as First Minister of Northern Ireland, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan TD, has offered Ms. Foster his congratulations.
In a statement, the Minister said:

“I wish to congratulate Arlene Foster on her appointment as First Minister of Northern Ireland.

“To become the First Minister of Northern Ireland is a remarkable personal and professional achievement and must be a great source of pride to both Arlene and her family. Her success is much deserved and is a testament to Ms. Foster’s dedication and professionalism, and the high esteem she is held in by her colleagues in the DUP and in the Northern Ireland Assembly."

Minister Flanagan added:

“I look forward to working with the new First Minister and reappointed deputy First Minister as we work towards the full implementation of the Fresh Start Agreement. We share the same objective of achieving political stability and reconciliation in Northern Ireland that will benefit all its people, and the implementation of both the Stormont House and Fresh Start Agreements will be very important in this regard.

“I also look forward to working with the First and deputy First Ministers on addressing the outstanding issues from last November’s talks, particularly in relation to the legacy of the past."
Minister Flanagan concluded:

“I again congratulate Arlene on her success and wish her all the best in her new role as First Minister of Northern Ireland.”
ENDS