Taoiseach hails EU's 'flexibility' over Northern Ireland Protocol

Micheál Martin praised Maroš Šefčovič for offering what could be a breakthrough to the impasse over the post-Brexit protocol

Taoiseach Micheál Martin arriving at the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party think-in at the Mullingar Park Hotel, Co Westmeath. Picture: Damien Eagers

The Taoiseach has praised the "flexibility" being shown by the EU's chief Brexit negotiator in offering to change the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Micheál Martin was speaking as EU chief Brexit negotiator Maroš Šefčovič offered a potential breakthrough to the impasse over the protocol, telling the Financial Times that he would propose a system whereby the UK gives customs data to the EU in real-time in exchange for physical checks being limited to a handful of vehicles entering Ireland a day.