Talks on Northern Ireland Protocol entering ‘pivotal’ period in coming weeks

Brexit talks are entering a “pivotal” period in the coming weeks, sources in Dublin believe, where it will become clear if a deal can be reached on the operation of the Northern Ireland protocol.

Reports in the British media over the weekend suggested that talks had reached the “end stages” - coalition sources in Dublin, however, emphasised that challenges remain in the negotiations notwithstanding encouraging momentum since Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister.

While promising technical solutions to some of the problems stemming from the Protocol appear possible, political obstacles must still be overcome, coalition sources said over the weekend. “A lot of issues are nearly finalised,” one senior source said on Sunday, adding that an upcoming EU security council conference next week may bring some “perspective” to discussions - especially in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

[ The Irish Times view on the Northern Ireland Protocol talks ]

Northern Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris on Thursday used his powers to extend the deadline for the return of the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont to 2024.

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The DUP has refused to return to the powersharing institution over its objections to the post-Brexit settlement.

The BBC report, citing two sources with knowledge of negotiations, suggested that “a legal text is now being looked at where the final, binding details are nailed down”.

However, it also reported that Downing Street believes that there remains much work to do.

Irish sources mirrored that position, suggesting that while no final deal is close to completion, the negotiations have entered a period in which the scope of such a deal could be ironed out.

In addition to overcoming potential objections from the DUP, Mr Sunak faces the task of selling any deal to the Conservative party’s right wing, where the European Research Group could present challenges.

[ ‘Disappointed and angry’: Family of boy (6) awaiting heart transplant mull legal action ]

Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, offered in January to provide “political cover” to pass a deal if it “delivers for our national interest”, potentially allowing the passage of an agreement through British parliament in the face of a Tory revolt.

On Sunday, the Observer reported that a cross-party summit had been held in the UK, bringing together leavers and remainers and including senior members of Mr Starmer’s shadow cabinet to address what the paper described as “the failings of Brexit and how to remedy them in the national interest”.

The DUP is meanwhile facing mounting calls to drop its block on the Stormont Assembly sitting so that a stalled organ donation law can be implemented in Northern Ireland.

MLAs have been recalled to Stormont next Tuesday in an attempt to elect a Speaker and debate the implementation of the legislation.

The planned law, named after six-year-old Belfast boy Daithi MacGabhann, who is waiting a heart transplant, has become a touchstone issue in the political debate around the powersharing impasse at Stormont.