Matt Shanahan on Brexit Protocol and Shared Island Funding
Matt Shanahan pressed ministers on the status of revised negotiations around the Brexit protocol, focusing on movement of goods, protection of the open border and the prospects for restoring the Northern Ireland executive. He urged giving space to EU and UK teams, highlighted business concerns over movement and consumer goods, and asked about potential extra capital funding to incentivise power-sharing.
Protocol negotiations
The speaker referenced ongoing technical talks between the European Union and the United Kingdom, noting European Commission Vice President Sefcovic met the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 9 January and held a follow-up video call on 16 January. He highlighted the 9 January agreement on European Union access to United Kingdom IT systems and said data access was key to building trust and assurance.
Movement of goods and business concerns
Shanahan said resolving issues around the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a key priority for businesses and people in Northern Ireland. He noted the voice of business and the business working group has been heard, that consumer goods operation issues have been acknowledged, and that the Irish government and he have been in constant contact with business to understand and relay their needs.
Impact on Northern Ireland governance
The speaker argued the Northern Ireland protocol is being used for political leverage by the Northern Union and is delaying the resumption of the Northern Ireland executive, which in turn is holding up effective governance, budget administration and the economy in the north. He referenced an IMF announcement on the UK economy in the context of those governance concerns.
Shared Island initiative and regional projects
Shanahan asked what the shared island initiative might offer regions such as Derry and Waterford, citing similar pressures over per capita resourcing for universities and hospitals. He said he has visited Derry in the context of the initiative, reported the North-West Partnership is pleased with progress, and noted related projects - including the A5 public inquiry, the all-island rail strategy and Camp Magee campus proposals - where connectivity and submissions from the North-West have been significant.
Funding and next steps
He asked whether additional capital monies could come from the UK government or Europe as an incentive to restore the power-sharing executive. The speaker reiterated that resolving protocol issues is now a matter between the EU Commission and the UK government and that agreeing shared solutions would provide the certainty businesses need to access both the EU single market and the UK internal market.
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Can I ask you just in terms of the ongoing new revised negotiations around the Brexit protocol, can you advise how they are going in terms of the movement of goods on the island, off the island and with respect to preservation of the open border? I thank the Deputy for his question and his kind comments. I have consistently heard in my engagements with business and people in Northern Ireland that resolving issues around the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a key priority for them. This is recognised by both the European Union and the United Kingdom, who are devoting substantial time and effort to finding joint solutions that address these concerns. European Commission Vice President Sefcovic met the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in London on 9 January to take stock of this ongoing technical work. They also held a follow-up video call on 16 January. On 9 January the European Union and the United Kingdom reached agreement on European Union access to United Kingdom IT systems. Access to this data was a key issue for the European Union in building trust and providing assurance. Agreeing shared solutions on the protocol will provide the certainty and the stability that people and businesses in Northern Ireland need to take advantage of opportunities offered by the protocol. Not least access to both the European Union single market and the United Kingdom's internal market, a combined market of over half a billion people. More broadly, resolving the protocol issues will also open up opportunities for greater European Union-UK cooperation, which is vital given the shared global challenges we face. I have been consistent in making the point that I think we should give space to both the UK team and the European Union team to continue the discussions in relation to the protocol and allow them that space to hopefully arrive at a satisfactory resolution of these issues. I think it is fair to say that the Northern Ireland protocol is being used for political leverage specifically by the Northern Union to seek concessions. It is also being used to stymie the resumption of the Northern Ireland executive, which is holding up effective governance in the north of Ireland. This is especially noted in terms of the IMF announcement on the UK economy today. But you have answered part of my second question, which is, you know, are the business community being consulted widely in terms of their ideas around, you know, what the softening of the protocol might be and the movement of goods. But can I ask you just in terms of additional capital monies, is there any chance of extra infrastructural monies coming from either the UK government or possibly from Europe that could be made available to the Northern Ireland economy that could act as an incentive to restore the power sharing executive? I think that is some very fair points we have made in respect of the latter part of your question. I think we have to acknowledge that from the outset we have said that, you know, we have acknowledged that issues have arisen in respect of the operation of the protocol, particularly in terms of consumer goods. And, you know, in my meetings with all political parties in Northern Ireland, including Unionist parties, we have acknowledged that. And I think Vice President Sefcovic as well has, and the European Union have. And it is now a matter between the EU Commission and the UK government to see, can they resolve those issues? And there are discussions in relation to that. And, yes, the voice of business, and particularly the business working group, has been heard. The Irish government at Hitchcock and I over the last year, we have been in constant contact with the voice of business to understand their needs. And we have highlighted their needs to the British government in respect of certain legislative proposals that the British government had. Because it is very important that they are the people who have to make a walk on the ground in the end, in terms of the operational details. I think we are all agreed that the resumption of the executive is what is needed to offer hope and better governance and administration of the Northern Ireland budget and the economy. But can I ask you, in terms of the shared island initiative, what might be on offer? Because when I look at Derry, I see, for instance, many similarities with my own city of Waterford. How that city has suffered from a lack of per capita resourcing in terms of its university, in terms of its hospital. Very similar to where we are in Waterford. And I think it aligns with the experience of Waterford, which has suffered, I would say, because of the political strategies. And the interests of Dublin and the temporary government in Cork, which has denied resourcing to Waterford in the south-east and, I think, to the wider region. So, Thomas, I would ask you, why should Derry consider its place would be any better in a shared island initiative as it looks on the continuing failure to provide, Government's continuing failure to provide per capita resourcing to Waterford in the south-east? Well, actually, I have been to Derry in the context of the shared island initiative over the last two and a half years. They are very pleased with the shared island initiative. And the North-West Partnership is particularly pleased, which involves all of the councils in the North-West working together in harmony, putting even politics outside the door and party politics outside the door to advance the, you know, the cause of the region. The A5 is in a public inquiry process. The rail strategy, all-island rail strategy, the highest number of submissions came from the North-West, because connectivity is a very big issue with the North-West. But we have said to the university there, the Camp Magee campus in particular, that we are awaiting proposals in the context of shared island. They have put proposals in. And we have supported projects in the North-West, particularly in terms of the area of research. Over 40-odd million has been allocated to research proposals on the island of Ireland through shared island. And we stand ready to do more. And we stand out! Thank you, the obvious, a lovely message for you. I'm Donaldúsica Community College. Also, there are lessons in the UK. Let's sit down there. Your best in study and thenes tell? Everybody pays for the зал Nations. Isn't it possible today? You must learn how to use a force inần the United Nations. And Monika somethings were there.
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