Irish PM says effort to tear up Protocol’s a ‘historic low’

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said Britain’s plans to act unilaterally over the Northern Ireland Protocol would be “deeply damaging” and mark a “historic low point”.

- CATE MCCURRY

Addressing the European parliament, Mr Martin said the UK government’s proposed legislation to override key parts of the Brexit deal would be “to the benefit of absolutely no one”. The 

Irish leader also said during his visit to Strasbourg that he disagrees with the UK government’s handling of the protocol and accused it of failing to engage with the EU. His comments come during a stand-off between the UK and the EU over the protocol, an agreement designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland but which instead created fresh checks on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Mr Martin said: “I have said many times that there are solutions to practical problems under the protocol if there is a political will to find them. But that requires partnership. It requires the UK government to engage with good faith, seriousness, and commitment. Unilateral action to set aside a solemn agreement would be deeply damaging. It would mark a historic low point, signalling a disregard for essential principles of laws which are the foundation of international relations. And it would, quite literally, be to the benefit of absolutely no one. Without a spirit of partnership, there would have been no peace process in Northern Ireland.