Simon Coveney is planning a two-day visit to London this week amid concern about loyalist rioting in Northern Ireland.
The foreign minister’s visit would be in response to an invitation from Dominic Raab, the British foreign secretary, to discuss matters relevant to the United Nations security council, but last week’s violence has given it added importance.
Arrangements remain tentative given the period of national mourning in Britain following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh. An Irish government source said: “Planning for meetings is still ongoing and no one would be surprised or offended if the trip did not go ahead given what has taken place, but we are still planning to go.”
The source pointed out that Coveney had a part to play in recent progress on the Iranian nuclear deal, and any talks with British ministers were likely to take in the issue of UN aid getting to Syria. “Clearly, Brexit is also part of this trip but Dublin does not negotiate with London on Brexit. Brussels does that, and the work on implementation of the Northern Ireland protocol is ongoing between [the EU vice-president Maros] Sefcovic and David Frost,” the source said.
Coveney could, however, press the case for an EU-UK veterinary deal to help to mitigate the level of animal product verification required at Northern Irish ports.
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As well as meeting Raab, Coveney is expected to have talks with Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland secretary, and Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister.
Meanwhile David Campbell, chairman of the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC), which represents the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Red Hand Commando, has said there are fears that a new dissident loyalist organisation is emerging in the north. “There is a concerted effort to undermine the leaderships of the existing groups, which are committed to peace,” said Campbell.
He claimed that much of last week’s violence had been organised by unknown entities using social media. “I would appeal to the police and the two governments to deal with this,” he said. “There are agendas being pushed on social media now and no one seems to know who is behind this. There are attempts to portray the current loyalist leaderships as old men who have had their day.”
The UDA and UVF have been involved in trying to quell rioting in parts of Belfast. UDA members are said to have stopped youths from attacking police officers at two separate riots last week. The LCC says that it has attempted to enter into discussions with the Irish government but has yet to receive any responses to correspondence. It has also sought meetings with the European Commission.
The taoiseach has also yet to respond to a LCC letter advising him of the intention by the three loyalist paramilitary organisations to withdraw their support for the Good Friday agreement following the introduction of the Northern Ireland protocol as part of the Brexit deal.
