Lyons: Government must restore NI's place in the United Kingdom

Mr Lyons said,

“Since it came into operation in January 2021, the Northern Ireland Protocol has damaged both the Northern Ireland economy and our democratic arrangements. It has created a border down the Irish Sea resulting in lengthy and time-consuming customs checks, increased bureaucracy, reduced availability of goods available for Northern Irish consumers, supply chain disruption, and confusion for businesses surrounding taxes imposed on items deemed to be ‘at risk’ of entering the European Union through Northern Ireland.

Progress is only made in Northern Ireland with the support of unionists and nationalists. If no nationalists supported the Protocol, Washington, London, Brussels and Dublin would be demanding change. If this Protocol had resulted in checks, costs and charges between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, there would be outrage.

The DUP has a mandate to see the Protocol replaced with arrangements that restore our place within the UK internal market. We have set seven tests and that is what we will judge the Government’s action against.”