Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said Ireland has been “extraordinarily helpful to the British government” after the Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris appeared to criticise his remarks on Irish unity.

He also said members of the Irish Government were “the adults in the room” during post-Brexit negotiations.

Senior ministers from the UK and Irish governments remain at odds over comments by Mr Varadkar, branded by the British as “unhelpful”.

On Monday, Mr Heaton-Harris referenced remarks made by the Taoiseach around Irish unity and the collapse of Stormont.

Mr Varadkar had expressed his belief that he would see unification within his lifetime. He also raising the potential for a “plan B” if devolved government in Northern Ireland is not restored by the autumn.

Mr Heaton-Harris said “unhelpful comments down in Dublin resonate up here amongst the unionist community” during his efforts to get the Stormont Assembly restored.

Asked today about the relationship between the two governments following the remarks, Mr Varadkar said he had not spoken to Northern Ireland Secretary since their meeting in Belfast on Monday.

However, he said Tánaiste Micheál Martin “should be speaking to him today”.

Mr Varadkar added that he will be personally seeing his counterpart Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Spain at the start of October.

“I think relations with the British government are much better than they were. They’ve been up and down since the referendum on Brexit,” he said.

“They’ve been much better than they were. As I said the other day, I think we as a government have been extraordinarily helpful to the British government.

“During my time as Taoiseach, we’ve negotiated three agreements. First, the backstop with Theresa May.

“When they couldn’t get up through parliament, we sat down with Boris Johnson and negotiated a new agreement, which was the protocol.

“When they couldn’t stick by that agreement, we didn’t throw our toys out of the pram, we were the adults in the room and we sat down with the British government and through the European Union came to a third agreement, which is the Windsor [Framework] and we expect that now to be implemented in good faith.”

EU and UK relationship ‘growing’

Meanwhile, Mr Martin has welcomed the “growing and strengthening relationship” between the UK and EU when dealing with changes brought about by Brexit.

Speaking at a meeting of the Brexit Stakeholders Forum at Iveagh House in Dublin, Mr Martin said a “significant degree of trust” has been built and hailed the Windsor Framework as a “breakthrough”.

Stakeholders from business, trade unions and state agencies took part in the discussion on upcoming Brexit-related changes facing Ireland.

Mr Martin said: “This has been a very useful forum in terms of our response to Brexit, managing Brexit and working with all those at the front line in terms of having to deal with changes, particularly in respect of trade and other issues.

“The export controls have been put back to 1 January by the UK government, but we still urge all exporters to do the due diligence to prepare and make sure that they’re ready for the new operating regime, because of course the UK market is still one of our most significant markets, particularly for food and the agri-industry.”

He added: “We welcome the growing and strengthening relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom.

“A significant degree of trust has been evidenced since the commencement of the talks under Prime Minister Sunak.

“There seems to be satisfaction on both sides that the steps that will be necessary for the implementation of the Windsor Framework are being met and various decisions are being taken by both the UK government and the European Union side, in terms of data-sharing and so forth.

“That’s overall in the best interests of Ireland that a harmonious relationship between the EU and the UK would continue.”

The Tánaiste said that the Windsor Framework, agreed between the EU and the UK to deal with trading concerns arising from the Northern Ireland Protocol, had been a “significant breakthrough”.

He added: “The Windsor Framework arrangements can provide stability and certainty in post-Brexit trade and business relations across these islands.

“They give Northern Ireland a unique advantage, being part of the UK internal market and having access to the EU single market.

“I heard first-hand yesterday in Belfast the level of investment interest there is in Northern Ireland.

“What we need now is the restoration of the power-sharing institutions, and the North-South Ministerial Council, so that Northern Ireland can make the most of these opportunities.”

The Tánaiste was joined at the meeting by Minister of State for European Affairs Peter Burke.

Mr Burke said: “The outworkings of the UK’s departure from the European Union continue to impact Ireland.

“A significant change over coming months will be the introduction by the UK government of new checks and controls on goods, which will be introduced from the end of January 2024.

“The new UK controls will have a direct impact on the operations of Irish businesses exporting goods from Ireland to the UK or across the UK land bridge.

“I’m encouraging all Irish exporters to examine their supply chains, speak to their customers in the UK and to their transport/logistics providers.

“Early and full engagement on these new UK customs and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements will help ensure businesses are ready for these new changes.”

The Brexit Stakeholder Forum has met on a regular basis since 2017.