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Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald has made positive sounds about the prospect of a deal between the UK and EU around the Northern Ireland Protocol.

She was speaking on Sky News as the latest deadline for Stormont politicians to re-form the Executive looks set to be missed.

Ms McDonald described “another deadline missed” but said she wanted to strike a positive and optimistic note because she said “there is now finally a sense of movement”.

The DUP is refusing to re-enter devolved government until its concerns around the protocol are addressed. Talks are ongoing between the UK and the EU on the matter.

Ms McDonald said there is “finally a sense that a reasonable, rational approach can be taken and a deal can be struck on the outstanding issues around the protocol, that those matters can be resolved, that we can then get back to work and delivering for people as the health crisis looms.

“In the grip of the cost-of-living crisis, it’s not too much for the people of the north of Ireland to expect that when they go out and they vote and return their democratic verdict that political leaders go back to work.

“I’m optimistic in so much as Mr Cleverly (Foreign Secretary James Cleverly) is in Washington, there has been a flurry of activity and meetings, progress has been made, we’ve resolved the issue on veterinary medicines, issues around data sharing that the British government really put up a blockade on, that matter seems to be resolved.

“The truth is, with good will and with a determination to get this job done, a deal can be done and it can be done very quickly.

“I would just like to urge everybody, forget what happened in the past, forget the road blocks, and the ups and the downs, let’s get this done, let’s land on a fair and reasonable conclusion, ensure the smooth operation of the protocol, then for goodness sake, people need to get back to work… thus far, all we have had is stalemate and a sense of limbo, and that’s not a good place for us to be.”

Ms McDonald also rejected the suggestion that the EU is using Northern Ireland to punish the UK over its decision to leave.

“I do not accept for a second that anybody in Europe has used the north to punish anyone, I think we have all simply recognised a reality that in order for Britain, having taken its decision, the realities of that come home to roost on the island of Ireland, and then we have to ask how do we keep the lights on in our island, how do we protect the peace, how do we protect the all-island economy, how do we protect people’s job prospects, their standard of living,” she told Sky News.

The Sinn Fein president said she would like to see a deal between the UK and EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol deal with concerns around “overly burdensome checks” between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, and the administrative burden.

“These are issues that have been raised, these are issues that are amenable to solutions, I think we’re very close,” she told Sky News.

“A majority of people elected in the north of Ireland support the protocol, people in business will say, ‘here are the difficulties’, but everyone accepts that the protocol needs to be finessed, but we need the protocol as a consequence of Brexit.”

Asked about the DUP’s concerns about a trade border down the Irish Sea, Ms McDonald responded: “The DUP have their view, they express their concerns, and that’s fine. There are other views, they do not represent the majority view in the north of Ireland.

“We need everybody back in Stormont and what we need is an acceptance for powersharing to work, you have to be prepared to share power. We also need a democratic acceptance that in order for government to work, you have to come at things in a reasonable frame of mind, and it can’t be a case of my way or the highway, that’s not fair.

“I would challenge the DUP in this regard, so many important things that really matter in people’s day-to-day lives have either been delayed or haven’t happened at all because we don’t have government in the north.

“If their view is that they can crash the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement in hope of a return to direct rule from London, that is not an option.”

Northern Ireland Protocol: Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald sounding positive about prospect of a deal between the UK and EU