Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP said,
“This was a useful engagement. I want us to be good neighbours. The Unionist people that I represent want to be good neighbours. They want to live in peace and have stable government in Belfast, free flow of trade with Great Britain and cordial relations with Dublin.
The path to peace in Northern Ireland has been a long road, only made possible by a consensus approach which respected our complex relationships.
The Northern Ireland Protocol has stalled progress and is in danger of dragging Northern Ireland backwards.
The Protocol was birthed in Dublin and Brussels but rather than protect the Belfast Agreement, it has caused instability and placed a trade border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom – our most important market by value and volume.
Dublin and Brussels must stop defending the Protocol and recognise it is causing severe damage both politically and economically.
Having created the Protocol, Dublin cannot wash its hands of the problem. Whilst we will make the case in London, Dublin must step up, admit the flaws and work with us to make the case to the European Union for change.”
