First Minister meets Taoiseach

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today met Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the start of her two-day trip to Dublin.
 
The two leaders discussed shared interests including the economy, education, and the importance of continued links between Scotland and Ireland as the Brexit process takes place. They also agreed on the importance of ‎the UK remaining in the Single Market and Customs Union after Brexit. 
 
Following the meeting the First Minister said:
 
“Scotland and Ireland have longstanding links and today’s meeting with the Taoiseach was an opportunity to discuss the key issues faced by both our countries and to identify areas of shared interest.

“We agreed on the importance that the UK remaining in the Single Market and the Customs Union has to both Scotland and Ireland, and I made clear the Scottish Government will continue to make that case at every opportunity.

"We also restated our support for the British Irish Council (BIC) and stressed the BIC process is now more important than ever to us and the other devolved administrations, ahead of Brexit. 

 “We discussed our ambitions to strengthen our economies through promoting fair work, supporting innovation and building on the existing economic links between Scotland and Ireland.

 “On education, on housing and on social issues - such as improving LGBTI rights and gender equality - we identified many areas where we share the same goals and can learn from our shared experiences. 

“We will continue to build on the strong friendship between our two countries and I look forward to welcoming the Taoiseach to Scotland next year.”