Northern Ireland

Taoiseasch says relations with Britain 'improved very significantly'

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, UK's intergovernmental relations minister Michael Gove and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during a press conference at the 38th British-Irish Council Summit, comprising of representatives from the Irish Government, UK Government, devolved administrations and crown dependencies, at the Winter Gardens Conference Centre in Blackpool, Lancashire. Picture by Dave Nelson/PA Wire
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, UK's intergovernmental relations minister Michael Gove and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during a press conference at the 38th British-Irish Council Summit, comprising of representatives from the Irish Government, UK Go Taoiseach Micheál Martin, UK's intergovernmental relations minister Michael Gove and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during a press conference at the 38th British-Irish Council Summit, comprising of representatives from the Irish Government, UK Government, devolved administrations and crown dependencies, at the Winter Gardens Conference Centre in Blackpool, Lancashire. Picture by Dave Nelson/PA Wire

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said Anglo-Irish relations have "improved very significantly" and that he and Rishi Sunak want to get Northern Ireland Protocol issues resolved "in a harmonious way".

He told a press conference at the British-Irish Council summit: "I think the relationship, certainly between the Prime Minister and I and both governments, has improved very significantly.

"And I think we're both of a mind to - with our colleagues in the European Union - to get this issue resolved in a harmonious way.

"And I think the meeting over these two days has again reinforced the importance of all of us working together on shared challenges and shared issues.

"So therefore, the need to really get this issue resolved is important because we have other bigger issues also. Really significant economic challenges coming our way, we have the war in Ukraine."

Mr Martin said he had agreed with Rishi Sunak that Northern Ireland Protocol concerns should be resolved "as soon as possible".

Asked how long the window of opportunity is to address the concerns, he told a press conference at the British-Irish Council summit: "I'm reluctant to put a specific timeline on this, but there is a significant window of opportunity.

"And the timeline really - both the Prime Minister and I were very clear about this last evening - as soon as possible.

"The sooner we can resolve this, the sooner negotiations can bring a resolution to this, the better, because both of us want the institutions back up and running as quickly as possible."

He stressed the need to "create a pathway for the restoration of institutions".

"The sooner the better, and it's possible, I agree with (European Commission) vice president (Maros) Sefcovic that it is possible, if we have a substantive engagement with momentum, to resolve these issues."

Martin said a "window of opportunity" exists to reach a deal over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Offering warm words at a press conference following the British-Irish Council summit, he said: "The essential point is that a window of opportunity has been created with the pausing of the election and the engagement between the United Kingdom Government and the European Union in respect of talks and a clear preference, articulated both by the UK Prime Minister and the European Union leadership, a preference for a negotiated resolution of this.

"It is my assessment that the window of opportunity now does exist, a space now exists to resolve the outstanding issues pertaining to the protocol by negotiation."

He told reporters that such progress would need "momentum" and a "substantive engagement" between the EU and the UK.

British Cabinet minister Michael Gove said he hopes Stormont's politicians, who could not join the British-Irish Council meeting due to political deadlock in the north, will attend the next summit in the summer.

He told a press conference in Blackpool: "The next British-Irish Council meeting will be in Jersey in June or July.

"I sincerely hope that we have ministers from the Northern Ireland executive there then, the sooner the better."

Mr Gove said he was "optimistic" about finding a resolution to the row over post-Brexit arrangements in Northern Ireland but played down any EU or Irish hopes that the controversial Northern Ireland Protocol Bill's legislative passage would be paused.

He said: "The programme of legislation in the House of Commons is something that is above my paygrade. I'm not aware of any plans to pause consideration of the Protocol Bill."

"The discussions that the prime minister had with all colleagues here about the importance of finding a safe landing zone I think were conducted in a cordial and constructive fashion and as the Northern Ireland Secretary said, he is a glass half-full man so we remain optimistic about the opportunities of reaching a resolution."