Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what protocols govern the President of the Republic of Ireland carrying out engagements in Northern Ireland; and whether the UK Government is (a) notified and (b) required to consent in advance of such visits.

There is no formal requirement for a Head of State to notify the UK Government ahead of a visit to the UK. In practice, most foreign governments do notify the UK government ahead of visits, particularly to discuss security arrangements.