British minister says there is no plan to pause the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill

Michael Gove said that while the legislative programme in Westminster is 'above [his] pay grade', he is not aware of any plans to pause the bill's passage.

There is no plan to pause the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill which would tear up the agreement and is currently in the House of Lords, a British minister has said.

Mihcael Gove was speaking next to Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the British Irish Council meeting in Blackpool, England. He said that while the legislative programme in Westminster is "above [his] pay grade", he is not aware of any plans to pause the bill's passage.

The Taoiseach said the "essential point" around the bill is that a "window of opportunity" has been created by the British government's decision to delay fresh elections in the North. He said the "space" created by that decision will still need "substantive engagement" by the British Government to resolve the outstanding issues with the protocol. 

Mr Martin refused to put a timeline on the resolution of the issue, but reiterated what he had said after a meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday evening — that the issues should be resolved "as soon as possible".

He added there are "legitimate issues" with the protocol, but some sectors of the North's economy have benefitted from it. He said that both sides in the North should come together to find a mutual agreement and any solution cannot be "injurious" to industry.

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Mr Gove said he "sincerely hopes" that ministers from the Northern Executive are at the next British Irish Council meeting in June or July.

The Taoiseach said he believes that the Anglo-Irish relationship has "improved significantly" in recent weeks, saying that he was struck by Mr Sunak's "pragmatic approach" to the protocol standoff. He said a more stable UK political landscape in recent weeks has helped in improving the situation.

Asked about the UK's legacy amnesty bill and whether Ireland would take a case to the European courts if it were passed, the Taoiseach said the Irish Government believes that legacy issues must "put the victim at the centre". 

He said there had been agreement on the issues with the British government which had "not been followed through". 

Mr Gove said his government's aim is to "deal with the past in a fair and equitable way" and that they want to "find a way through that can allow people feel that justice is being served".