Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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69. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the latest information regarding the Northern Ireland protocol and related negotiations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4400/23]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I congratulate the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs on his new appointment. I welcome the outcome of the negotiations by successive Ministers and our Government in ensuring there is no hard border on this island, that we protect the all-island economy, that there is unfettered access in Northern Ireland to European Union markets, that we protected the Single Market and we continue peace and stability and the good things about the Good Friday Agreement. The problem is that unionists need to be convinced. We need to go to the furthest step. The negotiations between the EU and Britain need to ensure unionism can sign up and get back into government in the North.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate the Deputy's comments and thank him for his kind personal comments. The recent political and technical engagements between the EU and the UK around the implementation of the Northern Ireland protocol are welcome. While technical work is ongoing, I believe it is best to give the EU and UK teams space to find joint solutions that will address the concerns of people and business in Northern Ireland.

The Government continues to engage with all key stakeholders in this process. I had a meeting with the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak at the British-Irish Council in November and spoke to the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly in December. I have also met the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, twice in recent weeks. The Taoiseach spoke to the Prime Minister by telephone last week. I remain in close contact with the Northern Irish political parties and other key stakeholders in the North, including businesspeople. I have made clear the Government’s commitment to resolving the difficulties around the protocol and helping to ensure the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement can operate effectively. That involves concerns raised by unionists in respect of the operation of the protocol.

We also continue to engage extensively with our EU counterparts. The Taoiseach spoke to Commission President von der Leyen on 11 January. I met Commission Vice President, Maroš Šefčovič in Brussels earlier this month and we maintain regular contact. I can reassure the House that EU member states continue to demonstrate the same strong solidarity we have seen throughout the Brexit process.

We are grateful also for continued bipartisan US support for peace and stability in Northern Ireland. The recent appointment of a US special envoy to Northern Ireland for economic affairs is a welcome development. In all our contacts, I have been clear that shared solutions are the only sustainable way forward. Resolving the protocol issues would also enhance the EU-UK relationship, the British-Irish relationship and, above all, relationships on the island of Ireland.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I agree with everything the Minister said. Again, I compliment the way we are all working together in the South and in the EU. Like the Minister, however, I have met unionists and listened to them. They are exceptionally clear on the issue that there is a serious power vacuum in the North and it remains unfilled by people who support democratic politics at the moment because the DUP is not going into the Executive. I urge that we in the South go the extra mile as best we can, accepting that it is up to the European Union and the British Government to negotiate the nuts and bolts and the technical part of the agreements. After 25 years, we need to ensure the Good Friday Agreement continues to have the huge influence and the huge importance it has in the lives of people, our economies, our relationship with the United Kingdom and, as the Minister rightly pointed out, with America.

I have no doubt the answer will be "Yes", but notwithstanding the fact that Ireland is not the key driver in the EU in the actual negotiations, will no stone be left unturned to ensure unionism will buy in and that we will have a restored Executive?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I accept the Deputy's sentiments. I am acutely aware of concerns unionism has on the operation of the protocol. I believe the EU is aware of that too and that, through meetings over the past year, Vice President, Maroš Šefčovič, has made himself aware of those issues and concerns and is anxious to respond to those concerns. We have also been very anxious to allow space to the EU negotiating team and the UK Government negotiating team. There are issues. We have acknowledged and accepted there are issues, through our meetings with unionist parties and all parties, including on the nationalist side and businesspeople who have raised issues around practicalities in the protocol's operation. I have always believed these issues are resolvable. We should just allow the teams to continue their discussions. There are challenges and there are difficulties, and while we should not underestimate the difficulties, we should wish them well.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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IBEC's recent report was very clear about the huge success of the economies North and South since the Good Friday Agreement and the substantial benefit peace has brought to this island and the great growth. The report compared 18 different areas in Ireland, North and South and in the UK. It made a surprising point that the greatest benefit outside London has been to people living on this island North and South. The Minister rightly points out that there has been substantial economic benefit. We need to impress more in the public domain on the benefit to the northern economy in the arguments that are being made because I do not think I hear the unionists iterating or responding to that point. They have a great opportunity. The British and European markets are wide open to them. There are substantial benefits in moving forward. I accept and acknowledge what the Minister says. We must go the extra mile for unionism if we can because the great prize is an Executive up and running, peace continuing and the vacuum no longer being there.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is important to reiterate and reassert the constitutional position of the Good Friday Agreement, that is, that the principle of consent remains intact. That is the bona fide position of the Irish Government and of all parties to the agreement. Second, in all my meetings with all parties in Northern Ireland, no one has suggested that access to the European Union or the Single Market should cease because it is of huge benefit to exporters in Northern Ireland. Having access to both the UK market and the EU market creates opportunities. If a resolution of these issues could be reached, I think the European Union, along with the US through its new economic envoy Joe Kennedy, would be interested to see what we could do for the future economic prosperity of Northern Ireland if we can get a resolution of these issues. That opportunity should be grasped.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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I am sorry; I did not see Deputy Ó Murchú indicating earlier. I thought he was joking with me. For Question No. 70 tá an Teachta as láthair so we will move on to Question No. 71.