Poots has 'frank' discussions with Martin and confirms he'll go to north-south meeting

By Jonathan McCambridge and James Ward, PA

DUP leader Edwin Poots has said a meeting with Taoiseach Micheal Martin about tensions surrounding the Northern Ireland Protocol was “positive, frank and useful”.

Mr Poots made his first visit to Government Buildings in Dublin since becoming party leader after warning that relations between Northern Ireland and the Republic had “never been as bad”.

But following the meeting with the taoiseach, Mr Poots struck a more conciliatory tone and said that he would lead a team to the next north-south ministerial meeting on June 18.

Mr Poots said: “It would be my intention to lead the DUP team to that meeting.

“I believe that there are important issues that we need to discuss and deal with. On the basis that there is going to be a serious attempt to assist in dealing with the protocol I believe that we should be seeking to help normalise relationships once again.”

The Northern Ireland Protocol was one of the main issues discussed at the meeting. A new raft of checks on goods at the ports of Belfast and Larne under the terms of the protocol have sparked anger among unionists.

DUP leader @edwinpootsmla describes tonight's meeting with Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD as positive and frank and says he will take part in a north-south ministerial council meeting in Dublin later this month. pic.twitter.com/96tOA5tYOR

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) June 3, 2021

Following the meeting, Mr Martin said that he recognised the “genuine concerns” among unionists and loyalists about the protocol.

An Irish Government statement said the two leaders “had an open exchange of views across a number of issues including: political developments, Covid, North-South cooperation, and the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland”.

It added: “The taoiseach highlighted the critical importance of the stability and good functioning of the NI Executive and all the Institutions of the Good Friday Agreement, in these challenging times.

“Recognising and understanding the genuine concerns in unionist and loyalist communities around the Protocol, the Taoiseach said the focus needs to be on getting issues resolved and on reducing friction where we can.

“He made the point that an obvious way to make such an impact would be to reach agreement between the EU and UK on a temporary (SPS) veterinary agreement – which would do away with 80% of checks at NI ports.”

Taoiseach Micheal Martin waves goodbye to DUP leader Edwin Poots and MLA Paul Givan, after their meeting in Dublin

The statement continued: “The taoiseach highlighted the need to use the window that is now available in the EU-UK engagement to agree a roadmap on all of the outstanding issues.

“The two leaders also discussed the importance of practical North-South cooperation continuing, including through the framework of the NSMC (North-South Ministerial Council).”

Earlier, Mr Poots had reiterated his view that relationships between Northern Ireland and the Republic had soured because of the protocol.

He said: “I have to say that our relationships between north and south have never been as bad.

“I do not blame the current taoiseach for that. I blame the past taoiseach (Leo Varadkar).

“Northern Ireland cannot be a plaything of the European Union or indeed the southern government. Northern Ireland people are more important than that.

“We cannot have a situation where some of the lowest paid workers anywhere in the European Union are going to have their food costs driven up, where people who require medication cannot get that medication.”

The meeting with the taoiseach came at the end of a busy day for Mr Poots. Earlier he had attended the Stormont agricultural committee where he denied that he had refused to attend any north-south ministerial meetings.

During the appearance he also defended a decision to temporarily withdraw staff from post-Brexit checks at ports earlier this year.

Mr Poots said he was “very concerned” about the risk to staff and a report of a threat against staff from a “coded source”.

Later he then attended the meeting of the Stormont party leaders forum where a number of issues including Northern Ireland’s spiralling waiting lists were discussed.