Tánaiste Leo Varadkar in NI for business and political talks

Leo Varadkar will have meetings in Belfast and Newry

Tánaiste (Irish deputy PM) Leo Varadkar is in Northern Ireland for two days of private talks with Stormont leaders and business representatives.

RTÉ reported that the minister would have a series of meetings in Belfast and Newry.

Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill had to withdraw from Wednesday's scheduled talks after she tested positive for Covid-19.

Mr Varadkar met Finance Minister Conor Murphy instead.

The tanaiste also held talks with SDLP leader Colum Eastwood, UUP leader Doug Beattie and Alliance leader Naomi Long.

He is expected to meet the DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson on Thursday.

Discussions are likely to focus on the Northern Ireland Protocol, Covid-19 recovery plans as well as Westminster's plan to end all Troubles-related prosecutions.

Mr Varadkar will also meet business representatives about recovery from Covid and the Northern Ireland Protocol.

'Patronising comments'

Sir Jeffrey said the meeting would be "meaningless" unless Mr Varadkar adopts a "fresh" approach to the protocol.

"He has championed a protocol which fundamentally undermines the Belfast Agreement and he has dismissed economic and constitutional concerns with patronising comments about the colour of our post boxes," he said.

"Mr Varadkar faces a choice: he can continue with the rhetoric of recent years and watch those events unfold or he can adopt a new spirit of positive co-operation," he added.

Mr Beattie said Wednesday's meeting had been spent talking about the protocol.

"We pointed out the negative effects the protocol is having on community relations and the fine balance of the Belfast Agreement," he said.

"We also acknowledged that, for some businesses, access to both the EU and the UK single markets was extremely positive, but checks were having clearly detrimental effects on other businesses.

"We pointed out that we believe that the UK command paper published in July had many positive aspects contained within it and should be viewed as a template for a way forward," he added.