NI Protocol resolution should not ‘bypass’ unionists, says former Taoiseach Ahern

Speaking to the Northern Ireland affairs committee on Monday, former Taoiseach of Ireland Bertie Ahern called for all sides of the NI Protocol dispute to ‘compromise’.

The session was billed to look at the effectiveness of the institutions of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, which Mr Ahern helped negotiate, but most of questions centred on the ongoing talks between the UK and EU over the NI Protocol.

Mr Ahern said: “I don’t for a minute think that a solution that bypass[es] unionists … is the solution to this. I mean, the solution is to find a compromise that we can all move on. Now, neither do I think that the [DUP’s] seven points that have been drawn up all have to be resolved, because I think some of them would be probably impossible”.