Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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213. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he plans to meet with his UK counterpart to identify ongoing obstructions to the Northern Ireland Protocol as events emerge. [6351/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am in regular and ongoing contact with UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on a range of issues including with regard to the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. We met in London on 6 January and in Munich on 19 February. We also spoke on 28 January after the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Northern Ireland.

The Protocol is the only agreed EU-UK solution that protects the Good Friday Agreement, prevents a hard border on the island of Ireland, and ensures the integrity of the EU Single Market and Ireland’s place within it.

I have emphasised to the Foreign Secretary that Ireland and the EU remain fully committed to providing certainty and stability for people and businesses in Northern Ireland. The EU has spared no effort in listening to the concerns of people in Northern Ireland and bringing forward a far-reaching and pragmatic package of proposals that would address the issues that matter most to them.

As the Deputy will be aware, EU-UK discussions on the implementation of the Protocol are ongoing. I welcome that these talks are continuing and it is positive that EU-UK joint statements have expressed determination to ensure durable solutions are found as soon as possible for the benefit of people and businesses in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland is already seeing the benefits of the Protocol, with numerous jobs and investment announcements made over the last year based on Northern Ireland’s unique access under the Protocol to both the EU Single Market for goods and the rest of the UK internal market. Most people and businesses in Northern Ireland want to take advantage of this unique trading position. Businesses have consistently said that they need stability, certainty and predictability.

I, of course, have also discussed the situation in Ukraine with Foreign Secretary Truss where the EU and the UK are standing together to support Ukraine in the face of Russia’s abhorrent and illegal aggression. I hope that this spirit of partnership can extend to the talks on the implementation of the Protocol. A positive outcome to these discussions will allow us to turn a page and develop a forward-looking EU-UK partnership. There are a range of urgent global challenges which require the EU and UK to work together. A strong bilateral British-Irish relationship is also vital for the Irish and British Governments to fulfil our roles as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement and to advance cooperation across a wide range of sectors.

I will remain in close contact with British Government Ministers, including the Foreign Secretary, in the period ahead and will continue to encourage the British Government to engage constructively with the EU so that we can make progress for the benefit of people and businesses across Northern Ireland.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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214. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which his Department continues to monitor developments surrounding the Northern Ireland Protocol; and the extent to which parties have departed from adherence to the Protocol. [6691/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Concerns regarding the UK’s failures to implement the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland have been clearly expressed by the EU since shortly after the Protocol entered full operation in 2021. These include concerns expressed around a series of UK unilateral extensions to various grace periods, and the limited EU access to customs and goods movement data. Accordingly in March 2021, the Commission issued a letter of formal notice to the UK Government beginning infringement proceedings. In July 2021, the Commission paused the infringement process to provide the space for talks to find durable solutions to the implementation of the Protocol.

EU-UK talks on the implementation of the Protocol are ongoing. I welcome the meetings of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee on 21 February, and the meeting of the Specialised Committee on the Protocol held on 8 March. I note the determination expressed in the resulting joint statements, to ensure that durable solutions are found as soon as possible for the benefit of people and businesses in Northern Ireland. The EU and the UK have committed to continuing their talks and to further engagement with business groups, civil society, and other stakeholders in Northern Ireland. The talks must remain focussed on their concerns. The EU’s proposals published last October directly address those concerns around SPS and customs movements, medicines and giving greater voice to Northern Irish stakeholders in the implementation of the Protocol.

Although there have been genuine challenges with regard to the implementation of the Protocol, I continue to believe that it will work if we allow it to with flexibility and pragmatism. The EU has spared no effort in listening to the concerns of people in Northern Ireland and bringing forward practical solutions that would address the issues that matter most to them. This flexibility now needs to be reciprocated by the UK.

I continue to engage regularly with stakeholders in Northern Ireland, including the leaders of the Northern Ireland political parties, the business community, and civic society. I remain in close and regular contact with Vice-President Šefcovic, and with our partners across the EU. The Union is seized of this matter – the implementation of the Protocol is a very regular topic of discussion within the Council and the European Parliament. Support for the Commission approach to UK engagement and for minimising disruption in Northern Ireland remains steadfast across the Union. I also have regular engagement with both the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the UK Foreign Secretary.

I and officials in my Department will continue to monitor developments closely in the coming period and to encourage the British Government to engage constructively with the EU so that we can make progress for the benefit of people and businesses across Northern Ireland.