Taoiseach Micheál Martin will become the first foreign leader to visit British Prime Minister Andy Burnham at his regional government headquarters, known as No 10 North, in Manchester. The bilateral meeting marks the first official in-person encounter between the two leaders since Burnham took office as Prime Minister in July.

The discussions at Heron House in central Manchester are set to focus on trade, regional security, ongoing support for Ukraine, and Northern Ireland. The leaders are also expected to discuss EU-UK relations, particularly as Ireland currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Talks will review progress under the UK-Ireland 2030 programme of strategic cooperation, which guides bilateral initiatives across multiple policy areas.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Martin stated that the engagement offers an opportunity to inject further momentum into the partnership between the two governments and reinforce shared commitments to the Belfast Agreement. Burnham welcomed the visit as a historic milestone for Manchester, highlighting that No 10 North was established to push administrative power out of Westminster while strengthening international economic and political ties.

Following their bilateral discussions and meetings with officials, the two leaders are scheduled to visit an Irish community centre in Greater Manchester to meet with representatives from the local diaspora.