Reality check in protocol dispute

Posted By: June 10, 2022

IRISH CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING

Distributed to Congress by Irish National Caucus

Reality check in protocol dispute

Editorial. Irish News. Belfast. Friday, June 10, 2022

THE perspective of dairy producers on the Northern Ireland Protocol has injected a welcome dose of reality to the debate on British government threats to tear up the international agreement.

The dairy sector is an important part of the regional economy, providing employment for thousands of people and export sales of almost £600m to dozens of countries.

Around 2.5 billion liters of milk are produced each year, a third of which of must be brought across the border for processing because of limited capacity in Northern Ireland.

Since Brexit, it is the protocol which ensures that milk can travel freely, and the NI Dairy Council fears the impact of any interference.

This week has also seen further evidence of how northern businesses are capitalizing on all-island trade opportunities.

Co Down bakery Grahams has become the latest food company to reach a supply deal with Lidl, signing a contract worth at least £2.5m to sell products in more than 200 stores.

A report in December pointed to a significant shift in companies in the Republic switching their supply lines from Britain to Northern Ireland.

The share of imports from the UK originating in the north was found to have rocketed from just six per cent to over 40 per cent, as north-south exports hit almost €4bn during 2021, an increase of almost two-thirds.

Of course, statistics can be found to support different arguments and a complete picture of the impact of the protocol is difficult to draw.

Added bureaucracy at the Irish Sea has undoubtedly affected supply chains from Britain and more work is required to streamline checks and costs.

But at a time when good faith and goodwill is needed to address such concerns, the UK has instead decided to walk away from previous commitments.

With legislation to override parts of the protocol expected to be published next week, Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer yesterday accused the British government of taking a “wrecking ball” to relationships with EU partners.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has also said that unilateral action by London would represent a “historic low point” in recent Anglo-Irish relations.

The protocol is a complicated solution to a complex problem, and it is only through serious negotiation, in a spirit of trust and compromise, that issues will be resolved.

Unfortunately, there is a real risk that people and businesses in Northern Ireland will instead be collateral damage in battles being fought within the Conservative Party.