Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster has said the Irish Government and European Union must take some responsibility for the current divisions and tensions in the Northern Executive and Assembly over the Northern Ireland protocol. Ms Foster said that she remained dedicated to making devolution work. The DUP leader said what was sometimes overlooked in Dublin was that the position of “all unionists” was that the protocol must be replaced “because it is causing untold damage to Northern Ireland”. She accepted that the EU wanted to protect its single market but through the protocol it was “damaging relations in Northern Ireland”. Referring to how the Covid-19 programme is more advanced in Northern Ireland Ms Foster said it was her wish and desire “that everyone on the island of Ireland would be vaccinated in the fastest way possible”.

Source: The Irish Times March 07, 2021 08:17 UTC