According to the reports, Truss and Martin met in 10 Downing Street on Sunday. The leaders reportedly discussed the "depth and breadth" of relations between the UK and Ireland and the need for unity in resolving major issues.
Both Truss and Martin agreed that the EU and the UK have an opportunity to reach a negotiated outcome of the issues related to the Northern Ireland Protocol, the RTE reports.
The visit of the Irish Prime Minister was not declared an official bilateral meeting and no press release followed.
The UK and the EU completed the Brexit transition in January 2021, when a trade and cooperation agreement between the parties came into effect. Under the terms of the deal, the UK left the single market and the EU customs union. Northern Ireland also left the EU as part of the UK, but remained in the European single market and customs unions.
Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, all goods and animal-based products coming from the rest of the British territories must be checked upon arrival to Northern Ireland to ensure their compatibility with EU sanitary regulations.
In June, the UK government introduced a bill unilaterally revising the provisions of the Northern Ireland Protocol, arguing that the deal is not working, as it causes delays and interruptions to goods moving between the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. This move drew the ire of the EU and spurred Brussels to take legal action against London.
The bill stipulates the establishment of a "green channel" for goods transported from the UK to Northern Ireland, as well as the change in the tax rules, stripping the European Court of its role as the sole arbiter of disputes.