Following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, Irish-German relations were further expanded and deepened. These bilateral relations rooted in trust are reflected in the Joint Plan of Action, the third version of which has been in place since 2024, and in the many reciprocal visits at a variety of levels as well as between the members of parliament of the two countries.

Germany is one of Ireland’s most important trading partners. The main imports from Germany are motor vehicles, chemical products, electronics and machinery. Ireland’s main exports to Germany are pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, electronics, foodstuffs, and measurement and control technology.

Irish-German cultural relations are good and are conducted largely without government involvement. University partnerships and town twinning arrangements make a major contribution to cultural exchange, as does the Goethe-Institut. Relations are also nurtured through schools. Pupils graduating from St Kilian’s German School in Dublin can transfer directly to German universities. The close cooperation with the French School in Dublin, sometimes even taking the form of joint lessons in the Franco-German Eurocampus, serves as a model for the rest of the world. The many events run by the Centre for Irish-German Studies set up in 1997 at the University of Limerick also help promote bilateral relations.