UK protocol policy an act of ‘economic vandalism’ against North, says Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said UK government legislation to scrap the bulk of Brexit’s Northern Ireland protocol represents “economic vandalism” on the region.

“The unilateral decision of the British government to bring in legislation to undermine or to give the power to undermine almost all aspects of the protocol is not acceptable,” Mr Martin told BBC’s Sunday Morning programme.

“It represents unilateralism of the worst kind in terms of honouring and adhering to international agreements that governments adhere to and sign up to and ratify in their parliaments.

“We accept fully there are legitimate issues around the operation of the protocol and we believe with serious, sustained negotiations between the European Union and United Kingdom government those issues could be resolved.”

He said the legislation is “deeply concerning” industry and businesses in Northern Ireland.

[ Explainer: How does the UK want to change the Northern Ireland protocol? ]

[ Brexit: What does the EU think of UK law to override NI’s trade rules? ]

“In effect it represents a form of economic vandalism on Northern Ireland because if we look at any objective data, it is now showing that the Northern Ireland economy is doing very well. Manufacturing is doing very well,” Mr Martin added. “The dairy industry, the meat industry, the food industry generally and agriculture is doing very well. There are certain areas where we can improve the protocol and we should continue to do that.”

Separately, Sinn Féin’s Northern leader Michelle O’Neill said the plan by Boris Johnson’s government “to break international law by sabotaging the protocol” could have colossal political and economic consequences.

Addressing her party’s annual Wolfe Tone commemoration in Bodenstown, Co Kildare, she said it was an “irrefutable fact” that the protocol was working. Mr Johnson’s Conservative Party was without a mandate on this island, she added.

Last week the European Commission began two new legal proceedings against Britain after London published its plans to override some post-Brexit rules governing Northern Irish trade. Mr Johnson claims his legislation is lawful in terms of international legal obligations.

Ms O’Neill also addressed the cost of living crisis in her speech, saying it was a political priority in the North. “We need to put over £400 million into people’s pockets to help deal with the cost of living, and an extra £1 billion into the health service to reduce waiting lists, support cancer and mental health services, and recruit more doctors and nurses.”

Reiterating Sinn Féin’s demand for a Border poll on Irish unity, she called on the Irish Government to start planning for constitutional change.

“We need re-entry back into the EU for all of Ireland. We need an Irish national health service, free at the point of entry. We need to tackle the climate crisis on our island. We need to end the duplication of public services. We need to maximise the full economic potential and opportunities for everyone who shares this island.

“For many people the frustration, impatience and urgency for change is growing. There is a direct challenge and responsibility on the Irish government of the day to plan for constitutional change — in order to avoid the dangers, jeopardy and pitfalls of the Brexit referendum in Britain,” she said.

In a separate interview on Sunday, the Taoiseach rejected suggestions the structure of the political institutions of Northern Ireland and the Belfast Agreement itself were no longer fit for purpose. However, he said “fresh thinking” was needed in terms of how the Executive and the Assembly worked.

Speaking to On the Record with Gavan Reilly on Newstalk, Mr Martin said the assembly election was fought on the existing structures and those elections should be honoured.

“And it means Sinn Féin should have the first minister, and the deputy first minister goes to the DUP.

“But the point I would make is that before the next assembly election, it does need to be reviewed and examined and debated between all of the parties in Northern Ireland because the politics are changing.

“I do think it needs fresh thinking in terms of how the executive and the Assembly work more effectively than it has over the lifetime of the Good Friday Agreement because there has been too much start-stop, and pulling down the executive, when one group didn’t get its way.”