Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 23 June 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs

Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland: Representatives from the House of Lords Sub-Committee on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland

I would push back a bit on the extent to which people think the situation has deteriorated in recent years. For much of that period we had a functioning devolved government. I hesitate to use the word "stable", but it was functioning throughout that period. It slightly resets the relationship between London, Dublin and Belfast when devolution is functioning properly. I completely agree with colleagues about the need to strengthen and deepen the bilateral relationship. I hope forums such as this, the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly, BIPA, and other institutional arrangements can be put in place to ensure that happens.