Protocol difficulties 'not stopping North from working properly'

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said all were agreed that the way forward is clear - the DUP need to stop blocking the formation of an Executive

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said it is the Irish government’s position to urge the UK government to get into talks with the EU. File picture

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has insisted that difficulties with the protocol are not “stopping the North from working properly”.

The Taoiseach was speaking as a leading delegation of US politicians were in Dublin meeting with him, President Michael D Higgins, and Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald about the current impasse in Belfast.

The bipartisan delegation was led by Rep. Richard Neal (Chair of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee), comprising members of that Committee; including Rep. Kevin Brady, the Ranking Republican Member, and also members of the Congressional Friends of Ireland.

Mr Martin said the only way to resolve those challenges is through intensive discussions and negotiations between the European Union and the UK government and that is the Irish government’s position - to urge the UK government to get into talks with the EU.

He said for sectors like meat production, for the manufacturing sector overall, and for agriculture, like dairy, the protocol was ‘actually essential’, and has been very advantageous.

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"Now for other sectors, particularly consumer-facing areas, and retail, there are difficulties and there are challenges that have been legitimately raised,” he said.

"The European Union made very significant moves last autumn, in our view, that were not reciprocated and Europe really needs to get a very clear signal from the UK government that it is, or that it will proactively engage in negotiations that can bring about a resolution of the issues in terms of the operation of the protocol and making it more advantageous for the citizens of Northern Ireland."

Speaking after their meeting, Ms McDonald thanked the members of the US Congress for their continued support of the Good Friday Agreement, for peace and for progress in Ireland.

“There would be no Agreement without the US. The progress we have made since 1998 has been due to the diligence and commitment of US political leaders who have acted as guarantors of our agreements,” she said.

Ms McDonald said all were agreed that the way forward is clear - the DUP need to get back to work and stop blocking the formation of an Executive.
“The British government must abide by international law. The resolution to the implementation of the Protocol will be found in negotiations between the EU and British government free from threats of unilateral action,” she said.