Major says 'every effort' must be made over NI Protocol dispute
- Published
Former Prime Minister Sir John Major has said "every effort" must be made to ensure the Northern Ireland Protocol dispute is solved.
Sir John was Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader from 1990 until 1997.
He was also involved in key talks that helped pave the way for the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
The former PM also repeated his view that the protocol was "one of the least well-done negotiations in modern history".
He gave evidence to a committee in the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) on Thursday.
The joint committee on the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement has been hearing from senior former politicians involved in negotiations that culminated in the Good Friday peace deal in April 1998.
U2's Bono on stage with John Hume and David Trimble supporting the 'Yes' campaign for the Good Friday Agreement
Preparations are already under way to mark its 25th anniversary, however they could be stymied if the power-sharing institutions are still suspended by then.
The protocol is a part of the UK-EU Brexit deal that keeps Northern Ireland aligned with some EU trade rules.
It keeps Northern Ireland in the EU's single market for goods, avoiding the need for a hard border with the Irish Republic after Brexit.
However, it also creates a new trade border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, something the EU accepts is causing difficulties for many businesses.
Some unionists say it is also undermining Northern Ireland's place in the UK.
In protest against the protocol, Paul Givan of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) resigned as Northern Ireland's first minister in February 2022, collapsing the power-sharing agreement.
Since then, there has been no devolved government in Northern Ireland.
There has been no devolved government in Northern Ireland since February last year
The UK and EU are in the midst of negotiations to amend the deal on a number of fronts; however, it is not clear whether consensus is close.
Sir John was also asked for his view on the government's controversial Troubles legacy bill going through Parliament.
The former PM said it would be "unwise" to comment on complex legislation that he was not across the detail of, given he left Parliament almost 25 years ago.