‘Opportunity’ to secure NI deal
IRELAND’S premier has praised Rishi Sunak’s “pragmatic” approach to resolving the standoff over Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin said Anglo-Irish relations have significantly improved of late but he said he did not underestimate the challenge of finding consensus between the EU and UK on the contentious Irish Sea trading arrangements.
Speaking at the close of the British-Irish Council summit in Blackpool, Mr Martin reiterated his view that a “window of opportunity” now existed to secure a deal and, in turn, create the circumstances to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland.
The DUP is currently boycotting the devolved institutions in protest at the protocol and the party insists it will not countenance a return to a Stormont executive until its economic barriers on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are removed.
Mr Sunak held talks with Mr Martin on Thursday evening when he became the first prime minister in 15 years to attend the summit.
Cabinet minister Michael Gove was the most senior Government representative in attendance on Friday for a plenary session that brought together leaders from the UK’s devolved regions, Ireland and the Crown dependencies.
Northern Ireland had no political representation at the event due to the ongoing impasse over the protocol at Stormont.
At a press conference afterwards, Mr Martin expressed hope that an agreement can be reached.
“I think the relationship, certainly between the Prime Minister and I and both governments, has improved very significantly,” he said.
“And I think we’re both of a mind to - with our colleagues in the European Union - to get this issue resolved in a harmonious way.
“And I think the meeting over these two days has again reinforced the importance of all of us working together on shared challenges and shared issues.
“So, therefore, the need to really get this issue resolved is important because we have other bigger issues also. Really significant economic challenges coming our way, we have the war in Ukraine.”
Mr Martin added: “I was struck by the Prime Minister’s pragmatic approach, understanding where the European Union are coming from, but also he then seeking, obviously, that the EU understands where the United Kingdom is coming from.
“That’s always a good basis to start negotiations, and to get involved in negotiations. So that’s why I remain hopeful. I do not understate the difficulties. I do not understate the challenges.”
The Government has vowed to secure changes to the protocol, either by a negotiated compromise with the EU or through proposed unilateral domestic legislation, the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, which would empower ministers to scrap the arrangements without the approval of Brussels.