Brexit: Taoiseach insists he listens to unionists over NI Protocol

Micheál Martin, pictured here at the British Irish Council summit earlier in the month, insisted he listens to unionist concerns

The taoiseach (Irish PM) has insisted he is listening to unionist concerns over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Micheál Martin was responding to an accusation by DUP leader-designate Sir Jeffrey Donaldson that the Irish government was "cheerleading" for the protocol.

It is the part of the Brexit deal which creates a border in the Irish Sea.

Sir Jeffrey was speaking after being endorsed as party leader by MLAs and MPs.

He said the protocol was "dragging our politics backwards".

The Lagan Valley MP said the Irish government had ignored unionist concerns over the imposition of Irish Sea trade barriers.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, DUP leader-designate, accused the Irish government of "cheerleading" for the protocol

But on Sunday, Mr Martin told Irish broadcaster RTÉ that he wants to engage with unionists on the issue.

'Important to work together'

"We do listen to unionists and I think Jeffrey knows that I certainly do," he said.

He said he wanted unionists' concerns over the protocol to be resolved in the context of the EU-UK negotiations.

Earlier on Sunday, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Brandon Lewis said work has to be done to fix the "big disruption" to businesses and consumers in Northern Ireland.

Mr Lewis said people in Northern Ireland should "have the same experience that they would anywhere else in the UK".

Maroš Šefčovič, the vice president of the European Commission, is due to appear before Stormont's Committee for the Executive Office on Monday.

• Significant change to NI Protocol promised - Poots

• Sir Jeffrey Donaldson endorsed as DUP leader

Last week, Mr Martin urged the European Union to grant an extension to grace periods around chilled meat, in order to de-escalate tensions around the protocol.

Goods moving across the Irish Sea border face a range of new processes, checks and documentation

Asked by RTÉ if he thought the British government should show more flexibility on the issue, Mr Martin said: "I think the British government does need to respond. Reciprocity is important.

"I've spoken to the European leaders and they want this issue resolved. They don't want to be imposing restrictions that don't make sense, but they want to see that similar sense of a resolve from the UK government and I've made this point to the British prime minister."