Varadkar denies deal has been made over Northern Ireland protocol

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar: 'I can confirm that, notwithstanding newspaper reports, no deal has yet been done between the EU and the UK.'

The Irish and British Governments have sought to play down a report in The Times newspaper claiming a deal has been struck over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The London newspaper reported that the European Union and Britain have struck a customs deal that could pave the way to ending years of post-Brexit wrangling over Northern Ireland.

The Times said it understood that Brussels has accepted a proposal that would avoid the need for routine checks on products destined for the province.

However, in the Dáil, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: “I can confirm that, notwithstanding newspaper reports, no deal has yet been done between the EU and the UK.”

The report was raised by Fianna Fáil TD Sean Haughey. There has already been an interim agreement between the sides on the sharing of customs information.

Mr Varadkar said he welcomed “the continued positive UK-EU engagement aimed at finding joint solutions to the implementation of the protocol".

The Taoiseach said when he met the Northern Ireland parties and business representatives last month, he got a real sense of a very widely held desire to see a joint resolution.

“I also discussed the protocol with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak when we spoke by phone on January 23, and expressed to him my belief that it should be possible to find joint solutions.”

A spokesman for Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin told the Irish Examiner that discussions are ongoing and it is important that space and time are allowed for the EU-UK protocol discussion to progress.

“The goal of the Government remains getting a functioning Executive up and running as soon as possible on the basis of the mandate given to parties in the May 2022 Assembly election,” he said.

British Government response

There are still "significant gaps" between the UK and European Union over Northern Ireland's post-Brexit arrangements, Downing Street said as it played down speculation about a breakthrough.

A UK Government spokesperson said: "Our priority is protecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and preserving political stability in Northern Ireland and the UK internal market. Any solution on the Protocol must address the range of issues on the ground in Northern Ireland. We are currently engaging in intensive scoping talks with the EU to find solutions to these problems.”

Rishi Sunak's spokesman said there is "lots of work to do" in all areas of the talks around the Northern Ireland Protocol.

According to The Times, the EU has accepted a plan that would avoid routine checks on goods going into Northern Ireland.

The protocol was agreed by the UK and EU as a way to avoid a hard border with Ireland.

It moved regulatory and customs checks on goods to the Irish Sea, creating economic barriers to trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

For the first time, it recognised that the ECJ could rule on Northern Ireland issues only if a case was referred by courts there, the newspaper said.

Speaking in Brussels, EU president Ursula von der Leyen said she had a "very trusted and excellent relationship" with Mr Sunak and their teams were "working together to find solutions".

"As always in negotiations, you know the principle that everything is only negotiated at the very end when you know what the result is and you give a final signature," she said.