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The Taoiseach has welcomed the announcement that the EU will not seek to override the Northern Ireland protocol as part of its efforts to control exports of Covid-19 vaccines.
Micheál Martin said that he had pointed out the implications of such a move to the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in discussions last night.
Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the news was welcome, but lessons should be learned, and said the “no borders” clause for the island of Ireland had been a hard-won compromise.
The EU took many by surprise, including the Irish government, by announcing that it planned to activate article 16 of the protocol to generate new monitoring controls on exports of Covid-19 vaccines.
It did so as part of its efforts to bring tighter controls on Covid vaccines leaving the EU and to ensure that Northern Ireland does not become a back door to allow the flow of vaccines from the EU to Britain.
The move prompted a strong response from the government around concerns about what this would mean for the long-term integrity of the Northern Ireland protocol.
After a series of discussions between Mr Martin and Ms Von der Leyen, the EU issued a statement last night saying that it will ensure that the Northern Ireland protocol will not be affected by the new version of its control regulations. export of vaccines, which are due to be released today.
The Taoiseach said it welcomed the development given the many challenges it faces in addressing Covid-19.
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Meanwhile, former Northern Ireland secretary Julian Smith accused Brussels of an “almost Trumpian act” over the move.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4, he said: “Years have been spent trying to ensure that goods flow freely and that there is no firm border and last night the EU pulled the emergency cordon without following any of the processes that are in the protocol if one side wants to suspend it.
“And they did it, in my opinion, without even close to understanding the Good Friday Agreement, the sensitivity of the situation in Northern Ireland, and it was an almost Trumpian act.
“Relationships are complex, we have to spend much, much more time, much, much more money and many, many more resources to get this relationship right. The EU crumpled big last night, but we must all work for the interests to preserve Northern Ireland.
“It is not just a back door for goods going to Britain, it is a very sensitive place and we have a duty of care between the EU and the UK to preserve stability and the absence of firm borders in Northern Ireland.”
Additional reporting PA
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