NICOLA STURGEON’S drive to protect Scotland’s relationship with the EU has suffered a major blow after Ireland confirmed it would not enter direct talks with Holyrood over her plans.

Joe McHugh, the Dublin Government’s minister for the Diaspora and Inter- national Development, said formal talks over Brexit would take place only with London, undermining Ms Sturgeon’s aim of directly lobbying other member states.

The First Minister said in the days after the EU referendum that she would seek to open “immediate discussions with EU institutions and other member states to explore all the possible options to protect Scotland’s place in the EU.”

Read more: Nicola Sturgeon snubs olive branch from Donald Trump and vows to speak out if his behaviour is "abhorrent"

The position was later backed by an overwhelming majority of MSPs.

However, while the Scottish Government has secured meetings with representatives of some European nations, there has been a reluctance on the Continent to subvert usual protocols by agreeing to bilateral talks with a devolved administration while foreign affairs remains reserved to Westminster.

The Irish minister, speaking during a trade visit to Edinburgh confirmed talks would take place only with the UK Government.

He backed Prime Minister Theresa May’s plan to invite the devolved administrations to feed into the process of agreeing a negotiating position.

He said: “It’s a UK Government position and what I like about their approach is they’re looking to involve the devolved assemblies. I think that’s important. They’re already doing it, it’s already happening [feeding into a UK process].”

Read more: Nicola Sturgeon snubs olive branch from Donald Trump and vows to speak out if his behaviour is "abhorrent"

The Scottish Government is to publish proposals for a bespoke deal with Europe within weeks, in recognition of the strong Remain vote north of the border.

Refusing to be drawn on how a closer relationship with the EU for Scotland within the UK might be viewed in Ireland, Mr McHugh said: “There’s a mechanism there through London for that. That’s a matter for the Scottish Government.”

Ms Sturgeon has said the UK Government “cannot get away” with warning of a hard border between England and Scotland post-independence, citing a speech in Belfast by the Brexit Cabinet Minister David Davis in which she said he assured people it would not mean interrupted travel with the Republic of Ireland.

However, the SNP leader’s assertion has been challenged by academics who believe Ireland is likely to be viewed more sympathetically due to its history of conflict.

Read more: Nicola Sturgeon snubs olive branch from Donald Trump and vows to speak out if his behaviour is "abhorrent"

A spokesman for the First Minister said: “We are determined to protect Scotland’s place in Europe, and are doing everything possible to achieve that, through the UK negotiating process while also speaking directly to the EU institutions and other member states, where our approach has been warmly received.”