Prime Minister Carney expands Canada’s partnership with Ireland across science, technology, and culture

In a more dangerous and divided world, Canada is building our strength at home and diversifying our partnerships abroad. Our European allies are central to this mission, as we share history, values, and – increasingly – shared interests and ambitions.

Ireland is one of Canada’s closest partners in Europe, and today that relationship is flourishing. Bilateral trade has grown nearly 150% over the past decade, and Ireland is a key partner in investment, agriculture and agri-food, clean growth, and economic security. Building on that momentum, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, today concluded a successful bilateral visit to Ireland. This marked the first visit to Ireland by a Canadian Prime Minister in nearly a decade.

In Dublin, Prime Minister Carney met with Taoiseach Martin to elevate the bilateral relationship with stronger cooperation across key sectors, guided by a new joint statement. This includes:

As a testament to the deep people-to-people ties between the two countries, Prime Minister Carney announced a contribution of up to $2 million toward the launch of Canada-Ireland 180, a landmark cultural initiative to be held in 2027 to commemorate 180 years since the mass migration of over 100,000 Irish people to Canada. The initiative will celebrate the shared heritage between Canada and Ireland, empower Irish-Canadian artists, and deepen cultural exchanges between our two countries.

The leaders also agreed to strengthen security and defence cooperation between Canada and Ireland, including through the Canada-European Union (EU) Security and Defence Partnership and the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative. They committed to exploring practical cooperation between the Canadian Armed Forces and the Irish Defence Forces in relation to maritime security training.

The Prime Minister and the Taoiseach underscored the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as a catalyst for economic growth. They discussed the significant progress Ireland has made toward full ratification, with the amendments to the Arbitration Act now passed through the Oireachtas – Ireland’s legislature.

After Dublin, the Prime Minister travelled to County Mayo, where he met with the President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly. He also met leaders from the local community, in this region with deep ties to tens of thousands of Canadians.

Canada’s new government is building a stronger, more competitive, and more resilient economy. By strengthening partnerships with trusted allies, attracting investment, and expanding access to global markets, Canada is creating new opportunities for our workers, businesses, and industries while building a stronger economy at home.

“With our common history and shared values, Canada and Ireland have developed a unique transatlantic worldview rooted in a simple conviction: we are stronger when we are connected. With this deeper cooperation, we are building new opportunities for our people. Together, we will be powerful, pivotal, and a purposeful force for good – reliable partners in a world that is anything but.”

The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada