Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Data published last month by the British Office for National Statistics demonstrate the economic benefits of the protocol for the North's economy. In fact, the figures show that the North has performed better economically than Britain in tackling the challenges caused by Brexit. The data from Britain tell a very different story of the impact of Brexit on its economy. Its Office for Budgetary Responsibility has forecast that the long-term impact of Brexit on growth will be worse than that of the pandemic, with the hit to GDP likely to be twice that of Covid. As my colleagues in the North have highlighted, there is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates that the protocol is protecting the North's economy through its unique access to the EU's Single Market. The majority of businesses, people and parties in the North opposed Brexit and want to see the protocol not just working for the economy but maximised in terms of its potential. Tory threats to trigger Article 16 have also been firmly rejected by businesses and industry in Britain. The Confederation of British Industry has been categorical in its demand of Boris Johnson that his Government should not go anywhere near Article 16. Businesses in the North and Britain want the Tories to pursue a better relationship with the EU, not deepen the fallout from Brexit, which seems to be their current strategy and is supported by unionism. During the Taoiseach's recent discussions with the British Prime Minister and unionist leaders, was there a recognition of the protections the protocol has provided to the North's economy or its additional potential for the future?

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