Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom labhairt faoin mbreithiúnas a tháinig amach ón gCúirt Uachtarach i Londain inniu. I welcome today's UK Supreme Court judgment, which unanimously rejected the appeal that had argued the Northern Ireland protocol was in breach of both the law and the Good Friday Agreement. We know clearly from the judgments of the high court, the court of appeal and now the UK Supreme Court that that is not the case. There is clear evidence of a political stance against the protocol rather than a legal one. With the institutions being held to ransom, that is a shameful political stance to take when people are struggling through that cost-of-living crisis and legislation such as Dáithí's law is unable to progress at the Assembly because the institutions are down. The message needs to go out clearly from these Houses and from the Government that the protocol needs a conclusive and durable agreement and solution. I do not think anyone objects to that.

We have to remember why we have been left with the protocol. The protocol, which was negotiated by the British Government and ratified by the Westminster Parliament, is intended to offset the potential devastation that could have been brought about as a result of Brexit. It is to protect the Good Friday Agreement and the all-Ireland economy. I am sure the Deputy Leader will join me in my call for a durable, positive and progressive conclusion to the negotiations and for re-establishment of the institutions to work for people as soon as possible.

I join colleagues in expressing our heartbreak and devastation at what we are seeing in Turkey and Syria. I have been for some time been calling for statements on our international humanitarian aid and solidarity. It would be timely to hear from the Government about what measures it is taking to ensure that solidarity is forthcoming in Turkey and Syria and that our international aid agencies and colleagues throughout Europe and the UN are on the ground supporting these people, who are suffering such awful devastation.