Taoiseach warns Boris Johnson against unilateral action on Northern Ireland Protocol

During a call, the leaders agreed on what they called the “vital importance of restoring the devolved institutions” as soon as possible

Taoiseach Micheal Martin spoke to Boris Johnson on Tuesday morning (Brian Lawless/PA)

The situation relating to the controversial Northern Ireland Brexit protocol is now “very serious” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

The leaders spoke by phone on Tuesday morning ahead of the Dublin Cabinet meeting to discuss ways of restarting the Northern Ireland institutions following last week’s elections.

Spoke to Prime Minister @BorisJohnson this morning.

We both agreed on the need to see the NI Executive formed as soon as possible.

On the Protocol, I stressed need to intensify EU and UK discussions, and to avoid any unilateral action.

— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) May 10, 2022

Both leaders agreed on what they called the “vital importance of restoring the devolved institutions” as soon as possible.

They were speaking after DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson confirmed to both Mr Martin and British Secretary of State Brandon Lewis that he would not be nominating any ministers until “decisive action” was taken on the Northern Ireland Brexit protocol.

According to a read out from the call, issued by Downing Street, Mr Johnson said that the UK Government would remain in close contact with the parties following initial engagement yesterday.

Downing Street has said the Prime Minister made clear that the situation in respect of the Northern Ireland Protocol was now very serious. “The balance of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement was being undermined and the recent elections had further demonstrated that the Protocol was not sustainable in its current form,” Mr Johnson told the Taoiseach.

Mr Johnson said despite repeated efforts by the UK Government over many months to fix the Protocol, including those sections related to the movement of goods and governance, the European Commission had not taken the steps necessary to help address the economic and political disruption on the ground.

“The Prime Minister reiterated that the UK Government would take action to protect peace and political stability in Northern Ireland if solutions could not be found,” the statement said.

The Taoiseach emphasised the importance of the two Governments working together in support of the full operation of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement.

The Taoiseach’s spokesman said he urged the Prime Minister to engage in intensified EU-UK discussions to address issues relating to the implementation of the Protocol. He set out clearly his serious concerns at any unilateral action at this time, which would be destabilising in Northern Ireland and erode trust.

The Taoiseach pointed out that the EU has engaged constructively in the Protocol discussions, addressing the issue of medicines, and last October putting forward a substantial package of flexibilities and mitigations, including on customs and SPS arrangements.” The Taoiseach stressed to the Prime Minister that the way forward should be through continued engagement with a view to arriving at agreed EU-UK solutions that address the practical issues arising around implementation of the Protocol.