Taoiseach no longer optimistic that free trade deal with Britain possible

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Picture: Julien Behal

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he is no longer optimistic that a free trade deal with Britain is possible.

He was speaking after a “forthright” telephone conversation with British Prime Minster Boris Johnson, in which he articulated his “deep disappointment” at the events of this week.

Speaking in a television interview, Mr Martin said the actions of the British government in seeking to undermine the Withdrawal Agreement has eroded trust and it created tensions around the talks between the EU and the UK.

“Clearly the decision of the United Kingdom Government to publish legislation that effectively seeks to undermine an international treaty, and the Northern Ireland protocol, which had already been agreed by the UK Government negotiated by them signed off by them, passed through their parliament, meant there was necessity really to articulate our deep disappointment, at how all of this, developed and our overall opposition to this approach to negotiations,” Mr Martin said.

Breaking: Taoiseach has spoken to PM Johnson and set out in "forthright terms" his concerns about latest developments in London on Brexit, including the breach of an international treaty, the absence of bilateral engagement and the serious implications for NI #iestaff

— Daniel McConnell (@McConnellDaniel) September 9, 2020

“In Europe, there's a lot of anger towards this and the manner in which this happened. In Ireland there clearly is and I articulated that,” Mr Martin told Sky News.

Earlier, a government statement said the Taoiseach had spoken to Mr Johnson and set out in forthright terms his concerns about latest developments in London on Brexit, including the breach of an international treaty, the absence of bilateral engagement and the serious implications for Northern Ireland.

“He stressed to the PM that the UK government should re-engage with EU negotiators urgently,” the statement added.

In a statement, Downing Street said: "The Prime Minister spoke with the Taoiseach this afternoon. The leaders discussed the UK Internal Market Bill and the Prime Minister set out the rationale for the provisions related to the Northern Ireland Protocol. 

"The Prime Minister confirmed the UK’s commitment to implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Joint Committee process. 

"He hoped that an agreement would be possible within that framework. However, if an agreement was not reached, as a responsible government, we had to provide a safety net that removed any ambiguity and ensured that the government would always be able to deliver on its commitments to the people of Northern Ireland.

"The leaders also spoke about the bilateral relationship and the Prime Minister reiterated his desire to strengthen ties and increase dialogue between the countries in the future."

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney warned that Northern Ireland is "too fragile and too important" to be used as a pawn by the UK Government in Brexit talks.