Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill 'very much encouraged' by Tánaiste's update on protocol negotiations

Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill says she is "very much encouraged" by what the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister has said about the ongoing negotiations between the EU and UK over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin is hosting meetings with all Stormont party leaders in Belfast on Friday to provide progress updates on the protocol and to discuss the restoration of power-sharing.

DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said his discussion with the Mr Martin had been a "useful and constructive conversation".

The meetings come exactly one year after the assembly collapsed following the withdrawal of DUP First Minister Paul Givan from the executive, due to the party's concerns over the protocol.

The trade deal was agreed between the EU and UK during Brexit negotiations. It has resulted in checks being carried out on certain goods travelling from GB to NI.

Following her meeting with Mr Martin, Sinn Féin's vice president said there was a need to "close out" a deal on the protocol as soon as possible.

Michelle O'Neill also called for the DUP to "end their boycott of the Assembly Executive".

Meanwhile Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said reiterated his party's position during his meeting with Mr Martin, that it will not re-enter power-sharing until the protocol is replaced.

In a statement, the DUP leader said: "Over eighteen months ago we outlined the parameters for the way forward. We set our tests and those continue to be our yardstick for measuring any deal between the EU and UK.

"There will be no restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive until the protocol is replaced with arrangements that unionists, as well as nationalists, can support.

"Northern Ireland's place in the UK internal market must be restored and our constitutional arrangements must be respected. We are seeking the restoration of democratic decision-making to the Assembly, replacing the democratic deficit created by the protocol.

"Why should anyone want to deny the people of Northern Ireland, through their democratically elected representatives, a say or a vote on vast swathes of the laws governing our economy and which affect the people of Northern Ireland so directly?"

Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw said her party once again emphasised to Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin an urgent need to reform the Stormont institutions after the latest period of collapse. She said Mr Martin appeared pleased "he was not hearing whispers" from within the talks between the UK and EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

"He thinks these talks now are in far better shape than previous ones where there isn't all this information leaking out, that it bodes well for a sustainable solution coming forward," she said.

Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie said he had a "frank meeting" with the Tánaiste.

The Upper Bann MLA outlined that it was "becoming incredibly frustrating as we are not being kept in the loop as to why is happening in regards to the negotiations between the EU and the UK".

"If we're not involved, if they try to bounce unionism, it's simply not going to work," he added.

"It was a good meeting, a frank meeting, I am still frustrated that we haven't moved forward more than we have, and I sense as well that Micheál Martin is also frustrated that we also haven't moved forward.

"What we really need is a deal between the EU and UK that everybody can buy into, unionist, nationalist and other."

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has said the secrecy around the EU-UK talks on the Northern Ireland Protocol was "probably a good thing".

He called on DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson not to be "spooked by anybody within loyalism" and to return to Stormont if there is "significant" enough change to the protocol.

"I think everybody understands the issues. It's important now that we get on with it.

"That's only half the battle, we still need to have a government in Stormont and that's up to the DUP.

"So, I would encourage Jeffrey Donaldson not to be spooked by anybody within loyalism, but to lead to take his chance to lead the DUP back into government and to lead us back into a situation where we share this place and begin working on a common interest.

"Let's be honest, not everybody gets everything they want in a negotiation. But if there is significant movement, I think the DUP should be prepared to take yes for an answer. But that will be up to them.

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