Readout of PM call with the Irish Taoiseach

“The Prime Minister spoke to Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin this afternoon.

“They updated one another on the current coronavirus situation in their respective countries and agreed to continue to work together to bring an end to the pandemic.

“The Prime Minister emphasised that the way the Protocol is currently operating is causing significant disruption for the people in Northern Ireland.

“He made clear the UK Government’s commitment to protecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions. He said the EU must show pragmatism and solutions needed to be found to address the serious challenges that have arisen with the Protocol.

“The Prime Minister said that the UK Government would outline its approach on the Northern Ireland Protocol to Parliament tomorrow.

“The leaders also discussed the UK’s proposals, published last week, on addressing the legacy on the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister stressed that the current focus on criminal justice is not working for anyone and looked forward to further engagement with the Irish Government, parties in Northern Ireland and others on the UK’s proposals.”