Taoiseach Micheal Martin in plea to UK Government to pull back from unilateral action on protocol

Speaking during a visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Martin said Europe will respond in a “calm and firm” way when the British government publishes legislation over the protocol.

Mr Martin said he would “not get involved” in what was happening in the Conservative Party after Tory MPs voted by 211 to 148 in support of Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday.

It comes amid a stand-off between the UK and the EU over the protocol, an agreement designed to avoid a border on the island of Ireland and which instead created fresh checks on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said the UK intends to legislate to override parts of the deal on Northern Ireland, with the details expected to be announced this week.

Opposition to that deal has seen the DUP block efforts to restore power-sharing in the Province.

Mr Martin said: “Europe will respond in a calm and a firm way to whatever decisions are taken by the British government and in relation to whatever legislation is published and enacted.

“I am very clear that unilateralism will not work.

“I would say to the United Kingdom government it needs to think of the people of Northern Ireland and not to do anything which undermines the economic wellbeing of the people of Northern Ireland.”

He added: “I don’t want to become involved in any shape or form in what is transpiring in internal British politics; as far as I am concerned, I am dealing with the British PM and I have appealed to him consistently to engage with the European Union.

“I think the first thing we could do collectively ... is to .... get into negotiations and solve the issues around the protocol.”