Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The announcement the other day by the Northern Ireland Minister, Mr. Poots, was unhelpful. It adds to the uncertainty for businesses and citizens in Northern Ireland. It seems to me that it was a political decision rather than one based on the public interest. It is noteworthy that his decision is not supported by the Northern Ireland Executive or by the majority of members of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Whether people agree with the protocol, surely on democratic grounds it was not the right decision to make, as it was done without the assent of the Executive and without the support of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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