A Taoiseach Micheál Martin has called for a new era of cooperative relations between Ireland and Britain “backed by trust”.
Martin said Dublin and London should come “out of the dispute” of recent years post-Brexit and enter a new phase of relations as talks on the Northern Ireland Protocol appear to resume on Thursday.
He said he believed there was a “genuine” will in Ireland, Brussels and the UK to reach an agreement on the protocol. He spoke at the launch of Ireland’s Call: Navigating Brexitby Stephen Collins, tonight.
Brexit has changed the nature of the relationship between Ireland and the UK, Martin said, but added that the “breadth and depth” of Anglo-Irish relations should never be forgotten.
“In any case, this is a defining period in Irish, EU and British history,” he said.
“It was always clear that there would be damage” [from Brexit]but its magnitude has gone beyond any predictions made before the vote.
“It (the Anglo-Irish relationship) is about trade, finance, investment, energy, agriculture and food. It’s about culture and art, history. But the most important thing is that it is about maintaining personal connections and family relationships,” Mr Martin told those in attendance at the launch.
Mr Collins described Mr Collins’s inquiry into all sides of the implications of Brexit as a “timely piece of work” given the current attempt to relaunch the negotiations, and Mr Martin called for a new phase of the Irish-British dialogue.
This comes as Foreign Secretary Simon Coveney said the British government is “seriously” trying to break the deadlock over the protocol.
Mr Coveney said reports of the restart of protocol negotiations between the EU and the UK on Thursday were “positive news”, adding that “mood music has changed quite fundamentally”.
He told reporters in Co Donegal: “Both sides have agreed to participate this week for the first time since mid-February.
“So this is a very welcome change of course that the UK government is now taking seriously, rather than continuing with unilateral action that would certainly have caused far more problems than it would have solved.”
Coveney said Ireland’s role in the EU-UK protocol talks would “promote progress”.
“Tomorrow evening I will be having dinner in London with Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and will chair a British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris on Friday.
“We will discuss these issues on how together we can resolve the outstanding issues and frustrations with the Northern Ireland Protocol. Of course, this is primarily a negotiation between London and Brussels, but it is clear that the Irish Government must play a central role in seeking solutions.
“The EU has shown a willingness to compromise, to try to respond to legitimate concerns raised in Northern Ireland, and it remains to be seen whether this new UK government is willing to compromise in order to reach a deal. Close.
“But the mood music has definitely changed quite fundamentally, we welcome that, and we will not only work on the relationships to restore trust, but also work on solutions in a practical way, and I think that process will start in earnest this week. ‘ said Coveney.
Additional reporting by agencies.