Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Assembly must get back to work while Protocol talks go on »
» Taoiseach in DUP refuse plea to parties to alter stance
IRISH premier Micheal Martin has said there is “no substitute” for substantive negotiations between the UK Government and European Union to resolve difficulties with the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The Taoiseach also said that an Assembly and Executive should be formed at Stormont while those negotiations continued and accused the UK Government of “moving the goalposts” over its approach to the Protocol.
Mr Martin was in Belfast meeting with party leaders amid ongoing deadlock at Stormont over the post-brexit trading arrangements.
The region’s main unionist party, the DUP, is currently blocking the re-establishment of Stormont’s powersharing institutions in protest at the Protocol, which has created economic barriers on trade between Great Britain and NI.
The Taoiseach’s visit came in the wake of the UK Government’s controversial move to act unilaterally to scrap parts of it.
Liz Truss announced on Tuesday plans to legislate to override parts of the Brexit withdrawal treaty it struck with the EU.
But Mr Martin said: “There is no substitute for a substantive series of negotiations between the EU and the UK Government in respect of solving issues in relation to the Protocol.
“We accept legitimate issues have been raised, but it is our view that they can be resolved.
“On the UK Government side, we haven’t quite got a clear landing zone. The goalposts do keep moving in that respect.
“What was produced this week by the UK Government again indicates a widening of the picture in respect of resolving the issues of the Protocol.”
The Taoiseach also called for the Stormont Assembly to be restored.
He said: “The Assembly and the Executive should operate parallel with the UK Government and the EU engaging in substantive negotiations to resolve issues which have arisen in respect of the operation of the Protocol.”
But, following his meeting with the Taoiseach, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey
Donaldson said a “sticking plaster” approach to dealing with the Protocol would not suffice.
He said: “We are not interested in a sticking plaster approach, or tinkering around the edges, it has to be fundamental change which respects Northern Ireland’s place within the UK internal market and nothing short of that will suffice.”
Sir Jeffrey said he wanted to see the UK Government publish its plans before making any decision on re-entering the political institutions.
He added: “I want the people of Northern Ireland to see what the Government is proposing to do.
“That is why publishing the legislation is important and once we see that legislation, of course, we will consider what our next step will be.” Mr
Martin has also held meetings with Sinn Fein, the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP.
Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’neill accused the DUP of “denying democracy” by refusing to enter Government in Northern Ireland. Ms O’neill said: “There are parties here that want to be in Government together, there are parties that want to be in the executive.
“Unfortunately, the DUP, sponsored by the British Government, are holding back all of that progress and preventing us from being able to start to put money in people’s pockets.”
UUP leader Doug Beattie said it could be a lengthy process to revive the Stormont Executive, but said the Assembly could restart in a limited way in a shorter period of time.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has said it is not “sustainable” for the DUP to wait for the UK Government to legislate on the Protocol before entering the power-sharing Executive.
We accept legitimate issues have been raised but it’s our view they can be resolved MICHEAL MARTIN BELFAST YESTERDAY