Governments must ‘reward political bravery’ in Northern Ireland, says Martin

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said the British and Irish Governments must seek to “reward bravery” by political leaders in Northern Ireland, as the two government seek to bring the DUP back into the powersharing institutions in the North.

Speaking in the United States, Mr Martin made no reference to the DUP or to its leader Jeffrey Donaldson but his remarks appeared to acknowledge the difficulty for Mr Donaldson in leading his party back into the Stormont institutions in the wake of the Windsor Declaration changes to the operation of the controversial Northern Ireland protocol.

However, the Tánaiste praised the new agreement between the EU and the UK describing it as “an opportunity to bring hope, energy and momentum back into politics for Northern Ireland.”

“It provides a stable set of arrangements to address the outworking of Brexit on Northern Ireland,” Mr Martin said. “It is time to focus attention on building a brighter future.”

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The Tánaiste was speaking in New York, as he began an intensive week of Irish-American diplomacy and high-level contacts which will culminate on Friday when Taoiseach Leo Varadkar meets Presiudent Joe Biden in the White House.

[ Varadkar to hold talks with Biden on Northern Ireland, Ukraine and world economy ]

Mr Martin was speaking at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy in Manhattan, where the former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was presented with an award.

The committee, he said, “holds a special place in the history – and ongoing journey – of the peace process on the island of Ireland. At defining moments you have helped shift the dial: you challenged key actors and policy-makers to be more ambitious in their efforts to bring an end to the violence that blighted so many lives”.

Mr Martin also paid tribute to Mr Biden for his “singular and extraordinary solidarity” to Ireland.

“At every stage of this process and in every forum, his personal commitment to the protection of the [Belfast] Agreement was unwavering,” he said.

Mr Martin also said that US support during Brexit, when US leaders in both parties told the UK there would be no prospect of a post-Brexit trade deal if they damaged the Belfast Agreement, was essential.

“The United States’ support, across the political spectrum, has been invaluable in maintaining political focus throughout the difficulties brought about by Brexit, but also in supporting a principled approach on dealing with the legacy of the past that does not damage the process of reconciliation,” he said.

Mr Martin said that in “difficult moments it is important that we return to the fundamentals on which our peace has been built - the two Governments working in partnership, recognising that unilateralism breeds instability and division, respect for the delicate balance achieved in the Good Friday Agreement, including the core concepts of consent and of parity of esteem, rewarding political bravery from across the traditions in Northern Ireland”.

Mr Martin is in New York for a series of engagements – including the city’s St Patrick’s Day parade on Friday – before travelling to Boston, where he will make an address at the John F Kennedy Library. Mr Varadkar arrives in Washington on Tuesday.

The Taoiseach is expected to discuss Northern Ireland, the war in Ukraine and the global economy in talks with Mr Biden.

Mr Varadkar will arrive in the US capital on Tuesday evening for a series of engagements as part of a four-day visit including the traditional meeting the president in the White House on St Patrick’s Day.

A spokeswoman for the Taoiseach said he would be discussing “the close relationship between Ireland and United States” with Mr Biden.

The president is expected to visit Ireland in the near future to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement although no dates have yet been confirmed.