UK and EU need to ‘knuckle down’ and resolve dispute over Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit rules, says Irish premier
The UK and EU need to “knuckle down” and resolve the dispute over Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit arrangements, the Irish premier has said.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he was encouraged progress was being made, and with the change in “mood music”.
Brexit Minister Lord Frost will hold further talks with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic on Friday.
The UK is still warning it could unilaterally suspend parts of the Northern Ireland deal unless major changes are made.
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Martin cautioned the UK against triggering Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol – which would suspend part of the arrangements.
The Northern Ireland Protocol prevents a hard border with Ireland by keeping Northern Ireland in the EU’s single market, but that meant checks on products crossing the Irish Sea from Great Britain.
It states that Northern Ireland will remain part of the UK’s customs territory however, it will have to stick to some EU rules to allow goods to move freely into te Republic and rest of the EU.
Mr Martin said this would have a “very negative” impact.
Taoiseach Michael Martin said he was encouraged by the progress being made
He added the European Commission had put forward a “comprehensive package of measures” to address the concerns raised about the protocol, adding that some EU members thought Mr Sefcovic had gone “too far” in the concessions he had offered to reduce checks.
The Taoiseach said “I get on well with Boris Johnson on a personal level” when asked if he trusted the UK Prime Minister.
The UK is still warning it could suspend parts of the Northern Ireland deal
In Parliament, Lord Frost said Brussels should not interpret his “reasonable tone” in talks to imply any softening of the UK’s position and Article 16 is still “very much on the table”.
He told the House of Lords: “Whatever messages to the contrary the EU think they have heard or read, our position has not changed.”
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Lord Frost said an agreement is the best way forward but “I would not recommend any outcome from the negotiations that I did not believe safeguarded political, economic or social stability in Northern Ireland”.
Meanwhile, Mr Martin will join ministers and leaders from across the UK and Ireland in Cardiff for a session of the British-Irish Council.
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The defence secretary has said he is “angry inside” over the infected blood scandal ahead of a long-waited report into the decades-long injustice.
Grant Shapps told Sky News he agreed it had been one of the most “shameful failures” of government and said he was dismayed by the “lack of anybody taking responsibility”.
The findings of a public inquiry into the scandal, chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff, are due to be published on Monday.
From 1970 to the 1990s, tens of thousands of people were infected with contaminated blood through blood products or blood transfusions given via the NHS. People were infected with hepatitis or HIV – in some cases with both.
An estimated 3,000 people died as a result.
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Mr Shapps told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that the scandal was a “massive injustice which needs to be put right” and said the government would act on the report.
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Thousands of people died after being given infected blood
He said that while he was yet to see the report, he hoped it would finally allow families’ pain and loss to be acknowledged and for the government to properly respond.
Mr Shapps said he had spoken to relatives of several victims, including a couple who had lost their son, and said their stories made feel him “angry inside”.
He added: “It just made me angry to know they had lost their son without anyone ever taking responsibility, so I think this is why this report tomorrow is very important.”
Successive governments have been blamed for failing to take responsibility and the current government has been accused of trying to delay compensation to victims after an inquiry was first set up by Theresa May in 2017.
It is estimated that the compensation bill could now exceed £10m.
The defence secretary admitted the process of delivering payouts to victims had gone on for “so long”.
He added: “This is a massive injustice which needs to be put right.
“And I know the government said we will. The report tomorrow, I think, will be the day for that family and others and I know the government will want to respond quickly.”
Asked whether Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would apologise to the victims, Mr Shapps said: “I don’t want to mislead because I don’t have special insight into that.”
Read more:
Boy, 7, was used in secret blood trials, parents say
Doctor’s horror over scandal
Blood donations ‘collected from UK prisons’
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Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting also told Trevor Phillips that he expected “successive governments” to be criticised in the report by Sir Brian.
“Everyone has got their responsibility to bear in this appalling scandal and we have got a shared responsibility to put it right,” he said.
“The moment to act can’t come soon enough.”
Sir Brian is due to deliver his final report just after midday on Monday.
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