Simon Harris makes first official visit to Derry

The visit on Monday marks Simon Harris' first official visit to the city as taoiseach

Simon Harris has visited Londonderry for the first time as taoiseach (Irish prime minister) for a series of engagements.

Harris is in Northern Ireland to meet political, civic society and community leaders in Derry on Monday.

As part of his visit, the Fine Gael leader visited the site of the new teaching and student services building being developed at Ulster University's (UU) Londonderry-Derry campus through the cross-border Shared Island funding.

Harris also delivered the annual John Hume and Thomas P O’Neill keynote lecture at the university during his trip.

Simon Harris pictured with Paul Bartholemew visiting the site on which a new teaching and student services building is being developed in Derry

The lecture honours the Nobel Peace prize winner John Hume and Thomas “Tip” O’Neill, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives in the United States.

Both men played roles in the peace process which culminated in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland.

As part of the visit to the university campus, Harris visited the site on which a new teaching and student services building is being developed, supported by cross- border investment from the Irish government.

Announced in 2023, the €44.5m (£37.4m) investment through the Shared Island initiative is to help expand higher education in the north-west region by providing additional lecture and seminar spaces, computer labs and on-campus student services.

Speaking following the visit of Simon Harris to the Derry campus, vice-chancellor of UU Paul Bartholemew said they were delighted to welcome Mr Harris and "showcase the thriving campus" and their "ambitious plans for growth".

“The taoiseach has been a long-standing supporter of our work here in the north- west," Mr Bartholemew said.

"Today’s visit was an opportunity to further discuss our distinct regional mission and our shared commitment to transform education and support economic growth in the north-west.”

Simon Harris was greeted at the Guildhall by mayor of Derry City and Strabane Lilian Seenoi-Barr

Simon Harris' first engagement on Monday was at the Guildhall with Lilian Seenoi-Barr, who made history by becoming the first black mayor of a council in Northern Ireland back in June.

He was taken on a tour of the city's historic walls, which date back to the 17th Century.

Harris also visited serving police officers at the city's Strand Road with NI Justice Minister Naomi Long and Chief Constable Jon Boutcher.

An artist's impression of the planned Casement Park stadium in Belfast

During his visit, Harris also spoke to the media on Derry's historic walls and called for "momentum" and a need to "look forward" in relation to Casement Park.

The UK government announced on Friday night that the estimated cost of rebuilding Casement Park stadium in Belfast had "risen dramatically" to more than £400m and they would not be providing funding to redevelop the stadium in time for the Euro 2028 football tournament, adding that there was a "significant risk" it would not be built in time.

Speaking on Monday, Harris said the redevelopment of the stadium in west Belfast “has to happen” and that the Irish government stood by to “assist in any practical way they can”.

He refused to “rule in or out” providing extra money for the redevelopment of the stadium, saying the €50m (£42m) already pledged by the Irish Government will remain in place "regardless of the decision around Euro 2028".

Harris say he understands the disappointment but that he knows the British government "wouldn't have arrived lightly" at the decision.

“What I have heard from people in recent days is, Casement is still going to happen, it has to happen," he said.

“All stakeholders now need to intensively engage to work out how best to proceed.”

But Harris praised the new relationship between London and Dublin, which he insisted would not suffer because on “one individual decision”.

He also said it was important Northern Ireland benefited from Euro 2028 even without hosting some of the games.

Simon Harris also announced funding for an initiative to link the Wild Atlantic Way in the Republic of Ireland to the Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland

Harris also announced during his visit that the Irish government is allocating €7.6m (£6.4m) from the Shared Island Fund for the cross-border tourism brand between the Wild Atlantic Way in the Republic Of Ireland, which runs from Kinsale in County Cork to County Donegal’s Inishowen Peninsula, and the Causeway Coastal Route in Northern Ireland.

The Wild Atlantic Way route was launched in 2014 and is credited with helping boost tourism in the west of the country.

Harris said linking the two routes could help boost economic tourism on either side of the border.

“This will undoubtedly create more opportunities for tourists from both home and abroad to experience all that Derry and the amazing north-west and Northern coast regions have to offer, and I look forward to seeing the outputs of this impactful project,” he said.