Unionist peer: I hope remarks from EU parliament leader don't mean Brussels is digging in over Protocol

By Adam Kula
Published 2nd Feb 2023, 20:46 BST
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​Lord Empey says he hopes remarks by the president of the EU Parliament today in Dublin are not a sign that the bloc is “digging its heels in” over the Protocol.

President Roberta Metsola delivered an address in the Irish capital in which she told politicians that the EU “will not leave your side” on Brexit issues.

She said the European Union “has not wavered in its solidarity with Ireland” and the EU can learn from how Ireland has dealt with Brexit.

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“When 10 people lost their lives in Creeslough, we cried with you,” she said.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, to Government Buildings in Dublin, during her two-day visit to the Republic of Ireland. Picture date: Thursday February 2, 2023.Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, to Government Buildings in Dublin, during her two-day visit to the Republic of Ireland. Picture date: Thursday February 2, 2023.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, to Government Buildings in Dublin, during her two-day visit to the Republic of Ireland. Picture date: Thursday February 2, 2023.

"When journalists like Veronica Guerin are killed for speaking out, we share your outrage and your determination for justice.

“When Ireland faced uncertainty in the immediate aftermath of Brexit, your position was our position. We went through all of that together and we will stay together.”

Irish MEPS and Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O’Neill were present in the Oireachtas for Ms Metsola’s address.

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Her visit – marking 50 years of Irish EU membership – comes amid reports of a possible deal between the EU and UK over the Protocol.

Former UUP leader Lord Empey, a long-standing critic of the Protocol and the negotiations that led to it, said of the speech that “I sincerely hope it doesn’t represent a view of digging in heels in Brussels”.

He noted that Leo Varadkar has already “semi-admitted” that Dublin made mistakes in drawing up the Protocol, with the taoiseach now seeking to portray a more conciliatory tone towards unionists.

While Ms Metsola’s comments are “not unique” (and echo remarks made in the part by Michel Barnier) “she needs to be aware there’s a problem… unionists have argued from the outset that Dublin overplayed its hand in the negotiations”.

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What is needed is not a a fundamental rethink of the entire Protocol requiring “substantial treaty change” he said – needing the approval of the 27-member EU Parliament.

And all of this is “not going to be helped if Dublin can be made to feel it can sit tight and do nothing,” he added.

• Meanwhile judgement is due on Wednesday, February 8, from the Supreme Court regarding a legal challenge taken by unionists about the lawfulness of the Protocol.