Irish Examiner view: Liverpool summit is a positive step in Anglo-Irish relationships
British prime minister Keir Starmer and Taoiseach Micheál Martin during a business roundtable at Liverpool docks on Thursday, in the first in a new series of annual UK-Ireland summits. Picture: Phil Noble/PA
The relationship between Britain and Ireland has been sorely tested in recent years, both by Brexit and by the chaos in 10 Downing St. The series of disastrous British leaders — from the buffoonish Boris Johnson to the hapless Liz Truss — appears to have come to an end with Labour leader Mr Starmer, whose calmness is in reassuring contrast with his predecessors. His reference this week to the two countries turning the page on “the turbulent years” was a considerable understatement.
It helps that Mr Starmer appears to have a genuine affinity with Ireland, as evidenced by wearing a Donegal GAA jersey at five-a-side games and the presence of Cork native Morgan McSweeney as his chief of staff.
(It would be interesting to see the Irish electorate’s response if Micheál Martin’s closest adviser were an English native. Would it be as phlegmatic as the British electorate’s?)
Trade was among the issues the two leaders were expected to discuss in detail, and Mr Martin was quick to stress Ireland’s support when Mr Starmer mentioned the British wish for a “trade reset” with the EU.
However, security was surely the main focus. The summit occurred in the wake of a strong declaration by French president Emmanuel Macron, in which he said France is open to discussing an extension of the protection offered by its nuclear arsenal to its European partners.
It was hardly surprising, then, to hear the Taoiseach stress that there would have to be “very, very close co-operation” between Ireland and Britain when it comes to security issues.
We are now in a world where Europe must organise itself to face a common enemy, but Ireland cannot forget a basic principle: We need a strong working relationship with our nearest neighbour. This summit is a positive sign for the future.
As reported here this week, Ireland’s primary schools no longer exclude children on the grounds of religion, according to a review of a law enacted seven years ago with the aim of ending the practice.
The Department of Education carried out the review of Section 11 of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 and found it had achieved its policy aims “in removing religion as a criterion for school admissions”, and had created “a more equitable and fairer admission process for all applicants of religion and none”.
This is welcome news — who would not be in favour of a “more equitable and fairer admission process” for schoolchildren, after all?
The background to the introduction of the amendment is also interesting — it followed a campaign by advocates regarding the perceived unfairness of prioritising baptised children for school places, despite a sharp rise in the number of Irish families not practising a religion.
It is surely the hallmark of an evolving civil society that it has the capacity to adapt to changes within that society, and also to respond to those advocating for specific legislation which addresses those changes.
News of the review coincided with remarks made by the Taoiseach regarding another education story in these pages this week. The plight of Sheila Casey Jones, who told this newspaper that she is considering moving from North Cork to another county where her son may be able to access a special education place, was raised in the Dáil by TD Cian O’Callaghan. The Taoiseach replied: “It is wrong that parents must be the proactive person in securing a place for their child. I believe the State should be doing that. The National Council for Special Education should have a proactive role in both identifying the demand and need, and then agreeing the proper placement for a child.”
Removing any reason for excluding children from school places is laudable, but surely access to special education is a more pressing matter. More urgency in this area would be very welcome, particularly given the Taoiseach’s acknowledgement of the State’s responsibility here.
It is encouraging, therefore, to see some positive steps in this sector.
St Vincent’s GAA club on the northside of Cork City is to plant over 120 trees on its grounds as part of a city-wide community climate and biodiversity scheme. The club has also upgraded the internal lighting in its building, coming after being chosen as one of 23 community groups to receive part of an €860,000 fund for specific climate and biodiversity projects as Cork strives to become carbon neutral by 2030.
Cork City Council is also organising another public tree giveaway shortly. Last year, hundreds of people queued at Tramore Valley Park in the city for free saplings at a similar event. The council will announce details of this year’s scheme later this week.
Meeting our climate targets may seem a daunting task in the abstract, but practical schemes such as these are steps in the right direction. They also show that everyone can make a contribution — and everyone must do so.
