Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 10 together. I have had a number of discussions with each of the leaders of the main parties in Northern Ireland since the election. Most recently, I travelled to Belfast on Friday, 20 May for a day of meetings. In all of these engagements, I reiterated the importance of early formation of the Northern Ireland Executive and a functioning assembly. The people of Northern Ireland want their elected representatives to address the pressing issues facing them, including the cost of living and healthcare waiting lists. The onus now is on the leaders of the political parties to work together in the time ahead to agree a basis for forming a new Executive to serve the interests of all the people of Northern Ireland.

As co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the Government will continue to work with the political parties in Northern Ireland and with the British Government to support the formation of the Executive and the operation of all the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement. The protocol was, of course, discussed extensively at these meetings. We recognise that there are genuine concerns about aspects of its implementation but these can only be addressed in a sustainable manner through intensified EU-UK discussions and agreed solutions.

Work on the formation of the Executive and on issues around the Northern Ireland protocol should proceed in parallel. One should not be a precondition for the other. We also spoke about the United Kingdom's legacy Bill and I shared my concerns regarding this unilateral move and its implications for victims.

I spoke to Prime Minister Johnson by phone on 10 May. We agreed on the importance of having a strong functioning Executive in place to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland. During our call, I urged the Prime Minister to engage in intensified EU-UK discussions to address issues relating to the implementation of the protocol. I set out clearly my serious concerns at any unilateral action at this time, which would be destabilising in Northern Ireland and would erode trust. Unilateral action is wrong and is not the correct approach. I strongly pointed out that the EU has engaged constructively in the protocol discussions, addressing the issues of medicines and last October putting forward a substantial package of flexibilities and mitigations on customs and sanitary and phytosanitary, SPS, arrangements. I stressed to the Prime Minister that the way forward should be through agreed EU-UK solutions that address the practical issues arising around the implementation of the protocol. I subsequently wrote to the Prime Minister to outline my views in detail on this matter. The British Government's indication that it will bring forward unilateral legislation to override parts of the protocol is deeply concerning. Such a step would be a serious breach of the withdrawal agreement and of international law. I sincerely believe that with intensified engagement and political commitment, the EU-UK process can deliver outcomes that respond to the genuine concerns of people in Northern Ireland.

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