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I wish to congratulate Rishi Sunak on his appointment today as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

The close relationship between our two countries is built on shared history, deep cultural and economic ties, and strong people-to-people links.

Our shared responsibility as joint stewards of the Good Friday Agreement, working together in partnership, is vital to support peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland, particularly now in the absence of a properly functioning Assembly and Executive.   

Building on work already underway, there is a real opportunity for the EU and UK to find jointly agreed solutions on the issues pertaining to the Protocol, and I urge Prime Minister Sunak to move quickly to substantive engagement with the EU on that basis.

I am committed to a strong and deep British-Irish relationship and I look forward to early engagement with Prime Minister Sunak on the important issues we face on these islands and globally.

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