The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) should be allowed a “little bit of time and space” to consider the Windsor Framework Agreement and to consult with his party, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.
Mr Varadkar has told the Dáil the agreement reached between the UK Government and European Union was “most welcome”.
“As a Government, as a people, as a country, I believe we can be comfortable and satisfied with the outcome,” the Taoiseach said during Leaders’ Questions on Tuesday.
The EU and UK reached a new deal on Monday to change trade rules for Northern Ireland in a bid to resolve the long-running post-Brexit disagreement and end the North’s political stalemate.
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Mr Varadkar was responding to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, who said the agreement was “very welcome” while adding that since negotiations were over, the Northern Ireland executive had to be restored “without further delay”.
Ms McDonald said there was “no logic for the DUP to continue its blockade” and that “negotiations are over, the deal has been struck”.
In response, Mr Varadkar said he had read a statement from the leader of the DUP, Jeffrey Donaldson, on Monday night and heard a radio interview with him on Tuesday morning.
“I think he has asked for a little bit of time to consider the agreement, to pour over the text, to ask some questions,” Mr Varadkar said.
“I think that is reasonable and I think we should allow a little bit of time and space for that to happen and for him to consult with his party.
“I think that is not unreasonable. Certainly, the European Union and British Government are happy for that to happen. But I do think that we can see that there is strong cross-party support, not just in Northern Ireland, but here and also in Britain for this and I do hope that allows us to proceed and to open a new chapter in relations and particularly to allow the Government to function again in Northern Ireland, which I agree is what the people of Northern Ireland voted for, and they want decisions to be made locally.”
The Fine Gael leader said when the Brexit referendum happened almost seven years ago, the Government set out its main objectives to ensure there was no hard border between North and South, that the European single market would be protected, that the Good Friday Agreement would be upheld, and that there would continue to be free movement of goods and people across the border.
“None of this is compromised by this new framework, and more importantly, none of this was ever in question,” he said.
Mr Varadkar said it was a good agreement for Europe and the United Kingdom and would allow the Irish Government “put relations back on a more solid footing” with the UK.
He said this was “really important” as Ireland needed the UK “as a partner and ally” when it comes to the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis and bringing inflation down.
“I think it could be very good for Irish and British relations as well,” he said. “I believe we can build a new and close partnership post Brexit with the United Kingdom, and I hope to develop those conversations with Prime Minister Sunak in the period ahead.”
Ms McDonald said the protocol represented “hard won protections for Ireland against the sharpest edge of the Tory Brexit”.
The Sinn Féin leader said while it looked as though “a positive outcome” had been achieved for all of Ireland, there also needed to be the resumption of the North-South Ministerial Council.
“For nine months, the DUP has used the pretext of the protocol for their blockade of the executive and the assembly,” she said.
“Following yesterday’s announcement even by their own logic, there exists now no justification for the DUP to continue this reckless and damaging boycott of democracy.
“There is no justification for the DUP to keep the executive down while workers, families, businesses struggle with an unprecedented cost of living in crisis and as they suffer from chronic waiting lists. The vast majority of people in the North want the parties around the executive table. They want Government up and working for them, dealing with the issues that affect their lives.
“So the onus is now very much on the DUP to join with everyone else in making politics work.”
