Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. As I said in the Seanad last night, the Irish Government's position on this is very clear. The British Government has signed an international agreement, which includes the protocol on Northern Ireland, as part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement. That is now international law and the British Government has an obligation to act in a way that is consistent with international law.

Last night, the Northern Ireland Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Mr. Edwin Poots, said he would instruct his officials to stop sanitary and phytosanitary checks in ports in Northern Ireland on goods coming across the Irish Sea. We do not regard that as consistent with the obligations the United Kingdom has under the protocol. My understanding is checks are continuing today while senior officials are trying to get legal clarity on the matter. I was in contact with the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland last night and I have been in contact, at length, with the Vice President of the European Commission, Mr. Maroš Šefčovič, on the matter this morning.

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