Joint Communiqué of the Annual Review of the Ireland Scotland Joint Bilateral Review 2021-25

On 27 July 2023, Ireland’s Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin, and Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson MSP met in Dublin to review progress in implementation of the Ireland Scotland Joint Bilateral Review 2021-25.

This was the second annual review meeting and follows a commitment in the report to an annual ministerial meeting.

The Joint Bilateral Review was launched in January 2021 and includes some 41 recommendations across six thematic areas of cooperation, for which the Scottish Government has devolved responsibility, including Government to Government; Business and Economy; Community and Diaspora; Culture; Research and Academic; and Rural, Coastal and Island Communities, which is also a cross-cutting issue.

During the meeting, the Tánaiste and Cabinet Secretary Robertson reaffirmed their shared ambitions for the Ireland Scotland bilateral relationship, in the context of implementation of the Joint Bilateral Review. Ministers noted considerable progress on the report’s recommendations over the past year, particularly in the following areas:

• regular ministerial engagement between Scotland and Ireland, including meetings between the Taoiseach and Scottish First Minister, the Tánaiste and Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, and ministerial programmes for respective national day visits
• continued strong Scottish and Irish engagement through the structures and summits of the British-Irish Council, and events to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement
• extensive engagement to develop bilateral business and economic links led by the Consulate General in Edinburgh and the Scottish Government Office in Dublin, and respective business promotion agencies
• significant policy engagement between Scottish and Irish officials in a number of areas, including the resettlement of Ukrainian refugees, renewable energy, regional development, initiatives relating to coastal and island communities, and health policy
• a number of productive cultural collaborations, including a series of events at the Museum of Literature Ireland showcasing Scottish and Irish music and writing, and a Team Ireland approach to supporting and promoting Irish acts across the Edinburgh Festivals, which included close cooperation with Culture Ireland
• the Scottish Connections Framework, published in April 2023, was informed by Ireland’s approach to diaspora engagement. Scottish officials attended the Global Irish Civic Forum and policy officials continue to share learning
• a partnership between the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Royal Irish Academy to deliver joint research projects on matters relating to the Review

The meeting was also an opportunity for the Tánaiste and Cabinet Secretary Robertson to discuss latest political developments across Ireland and Scotland, and more broadly, including EU-UK developments. The report and recommendations of the Review will continue to guide Ireland-Scotland collaboration until 2025, and Ministers looked forward to a further annual review meeting in 2024.