Trump’s envoy says bill could endanger Agreement

Mick Mulvaney said the agreement could be “at risk” because of the UK Government’s Internal Market Bill, but that it was something the United States was “very interested in seeing not happen”.

He made the comments on a visit to Dublin yesterday where he met Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney. The visit comes as the UK rebuffed a fresh demand from the EU to withdraw the Internal Market Bill.

Mr Mulvaney said the US was watching the EU/UK negotiations closely: “I think it’s fair to say we are aware and cautious and watching the situation.

“Concern would imply that we’re worried and I don’t think we’re at that point yet but we certainly understand the interplay between the EU/UK trade deal and the Internal Market Bill and the Good Friday Agreement.”

He said: “I don’t think it necessarily follows that just because the UK introduced the Internal Markets Bill that automatically means the Good Friday Agreement is at risk. But I think anyone who looks at the situation understands there could be a series of events that could put the Good Friday Agreement at risk.

“Again something we’re very interested in seeing not happen in the US. We’re here to protect, defend that Good Friday Agreement that was so hard fought and won.”

The Irish American also met with the leader of the opposition and president of Sinn Fein Mary Lou McDonald during his visit to Dublin.

On Sunday, he met Secretary of State Brandon Lewis in Belfast and he will meet Arlene Foster and Executive ministers today.