Micheál Martin dismisses Bertie Ahern remarks about Northern Ireland protocol tensions

Taoiseach said talks are progressing and there is a 'genuine desire' to get a solution across the line

Unionists are demanding an apology for the remarks made by former taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has dismissed controversial remarks by former taoiseach Bertie Ahern about loyalists having "no clue" about the Northern Ireland protocol.

Mr Martin is insisting talks with the North and the British government are progressing well.

Leading unionists are demanding an apology for the remarks made by Mr Ahern at an event held by the DCU Brexit Institute on Thursday. It has been described variously as “despicable”, “degrading", and “demeaning”.

The protocol governs the North’s post-Brexit trade with the EU and the rest of the UK.

The prospect of triggering Article 16, or dismantling the protocol altogether, has led to ever-increasing tensions in the North, including violent demonstrations in certain loyalist communities.

Referencing these, Mr Ahern said: “The reality is in east Belfast and in the ghettos and areas where you’re likely to get trouble, is that people haven’t got a clue about the protocol, not a clue.

“They see it as identity. They see it as a road to the Dublin government taking over again and this is a pathway to that.

“That’s how they see it, even those who you might consider to be a bit more intelligent and articulate. That is the difficulty."

'Context of a seminar'

Asked about those remarks, Mr Martin said: “[The remarks] was in the context of a seminar, an academic seminar in terms of the protocol issues on Brexit and so on. Things get said.” 

However, he insisted: “The discussions I had over the last two days at the British Irish Council and our engagement with our European colleagues is that the talks are going through a better phase.

“It’s still challenging but [there] is genuine desire across the board to get a negotiated resolution.

“Our view from my talks with leaders in Northern Ireland [is] we collectively need to resolve this negotiation and I think that’s the focus.

“I’m engaging with them on a consistent and constant basis with all the unionist leadership in terms of the protocol.

“I would have spoken to the EU Commission having heard the concerns of unionist leaders in respect to the operation of the protocol.

“We are very focused now, those of us who have decisions to take, very focused on getting a resolution.”