Mr Dodds said,
“MEPs speak often about protecting the Belfast Agreement yet political progress in Northern Ireland is built on the support of unionists and nationalists. Not one unionist MLA supported the Protocol. The idea that one section of our people will dominate the other and ignore the concerns of unionists will never produce durable or balanced outcomes.
There is no solid basis for an Executive and Assembly until we have arrangements that restore Northern Ireland’s place in the U.K. internal market and our constitutional arrangements are respected.
We all want to see devolution restored and we are continuing to engage in discussions with the UK Government to try to bring about the fair and sustainable conditions that are necessary to get the Assembly and Executive functioning. However, this can only happen when Northern Ireland’s position within the United Kingdom is both respected and protected in law.”