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DEALING WITH CONCERNS around the Northern Ireland Protocol “isn’t rocket science”, and a solution must be found, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said.
Ahern said the current stalemate which has plunged the Stormont Assembly into flux is “beyond comprehension”.
He emphasised that with a bit of flexibility it can be resolved.
“I really, really believe that this isn’t rocket science,” he said.
“When you think of the things that we resolved, we got the IRA to decommit their arms, we released prisoners … we reformed the old RUC to now a very competent international PSNI.”
He said yet now “we can’t find a way of working out how sausages and rashers” can move between Britain and Northern Ireland.
“It’s beyond comprehension, there has to be a solution that is unique to Northern Ireland,” he said.
Ahern was speaking to MPs as he gave evidence to the Northern Ireland Committee at Westminster around the workings of the Good Friday Agreement.
He emphasised that compromise is the only way that Northern Ireland will work.
Ahern served as Taoiseach during the Good Friday Agreement negotiations in 1998.
Chairman Simon Hoare said Ahern was the first either former or serving Taoiseach to give evidence to the committee.
Talks remain ongoing between the UK and EU over concerns around the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The DUP has insisted it will not re-enter government at Stormont until unionist concerns are dealt with.
Ahern said compromise is needed to find agreement.
“I do not believe that’s impossible, it does require some compromise,” he said, rejecting reports that a deal is close.
“There are still difficulties.”
Ahern said unionist concerns “cannot be railroaded” but also said the demands of unionists “can’t be fully adhered to”.
“If we don’t get compromise … then we run into a position where for the longer term … we haven’t got a solution and we don’t have (Stormont) institutions.
“In the absence of compromise, we’re building a future that will be on quicksand, and that’s my concern.
“I am 100% for compromise, 100% for trying to accommodate the concerns of people but I don’t think we can long finger this into the dim and distant future.”
Ahern also emphasised that he “has heard nobody on the island of Ireland say the solution to this is to ignore the concerns of unionism”.
“People might take issue with whether these things are constitutional or whether they’re not, but the issue is that we must find an accommodation moving forward that puts everyone in a win-win position,” he said.
Ahern extolled the benefits of the Good Friday Agreement, particularly on the economies of both Northern Ireland and the Republic, but expressed disappointment at how often the political institutions have been down.
The Assembly could not function for three years from 2017-2020 following the resignation of then deputy first minister Martin McGuinness, and is again in flux since last spring following the resignation of first minister Paul Givan.
Ahern said it is “disappointing and unsatisfactory” that the institutions have been down so often.
“Let’s blame nobody and blame everybody, but we haven’t been able to run it,” he said, agreeing that a review of the working of the institution is due.
“I can’t think of another country in the world that has had institutions have been up and down as much, and that’s not good, it’s not good for investment, it’s not good for the people.”
Closing the session, Hoare said the horrors of the war in Ukraine has “contextualised” the size of the problem.
“If the sophisticated, mature statecraft of Brussels, Westminster and Dublin can’t solve this, then I think we all have to begin to wonder what the hell are we all doing,” he said.
Why are we still listening to this man, who brought the country to its knees?
@Ian James Burgess: because without him the GFA wouldn’t exist and while I share your disdain of him sometimes you must look past your own bias. In my view he needs to be listened to in this matter because the current crew are lacking talent.
@Allora: I wouldn’t be enamoured of Bertie but a very shrewd politician. He has a point. This debacle has gone on long enough.
@Ian James Burgess: a crook with no shame
@Allora:
Some people listened to him “go and commit $uicide” Gurrier.
@Allora: thats bull, the GFA was not all Bertie. It would have happened without him.
I think he’s looking to open a revoult bank account
Brown envelopes?
@Shaun Gallagher: the irony of someone called Sean Gallagher talking about corruption / bribery ..
@Shaun Gallagher: indeed all round….
The protocol is a smokescreen, the real issue is that a nationalist first minister was elected and the unionists won’t cooperate with that,
Bertie is a spoofer! He brings nothing of value to this conversation.
@Niall Power: “Ahern also emphasised that he “has heard nobody on the island of Ireland say the solution to this is to ignore the concerns of unionism”.
He obviously doesn’t spend much time on journal.ie if he thinks that.
Is he not retired. Is he looking fir a second bite of the cherry to collapse this country.
@Dave Barrett:
No, a shot at the Park. Gurrier.
@Liam Byrne: “Gurrier.”
Your word of the day it seems.
Always nice to learn new things.
Who asked this amoeba to comment?
@David W: oh you mean one of the key people to actually make the Good Friday agreement happen ? Crawl back into that dark clueless hole you tool
No matter what Protocol Agreement is reached the D.U.P. will still find some reason to stay out of Government, and regrettably the British Government will stand idly by and allow it to happen. Secondly while Bertie Ahern may have a lot of faults (like most Politicians past and current) it must be recognised he did a lot of good, and thankfully over the last 25 Years a lot of lives have been saved because of his and other Politicians actions at the time.
@Owen G Mc Ginley: he brought down the construction industry putting thousands out of work, many never got work again due to their age. The crash was the cause of many suicides, marriage breakups, homeless etc.
There is only one thing on Ahern’s mind and that is the job in the park and to stay relevant I am sure there is plenty of charity work he could be doing.
@Karl Phillips:
Yea, charity begins at home. Gurrier.
I think it would be wise for FF to confirm that Bertie Ahern will never be readmitted to the party and that if he is trying to slime his way to the presidency then it will be without FF support.
Who asked this yoke to comment?
@David W: Its a free country, everyone can comment, even me and you.
It’s absolutely KILLING The DUP to have to serve under A Nationalist First Minister. Power Sharing Me AR5E and that tells you everything you need to know about their mindset. I’m thinking about the hundreds of thousands of people in need of government services, subsidies and supports who have been left suffering in Limbo because a certain group of Prehistoric Politicians only care about their narrow agenda. Ironically they’re actually LIVING PROOF that evolution exists and Darwin was right ….. We did evolve from Monkeys and some of us are still carrying that Simian gene.
A lot of idiotic comments on this topic. While Bertie had some serious flaws his experience in negotiating with The UK and Unionists should not be diminished. His opinion is of far more value than than some of the Neanderthals on here.
@Roddy Wyer:
Negotiating with Paddy the plasterer an Paddy Power. Gurrier.
@Liam Byrne: We know, you think he is a gurrier.
However he is the person who got the GFA across the line.
He has the experience and the knowledge to help and we need everybody who can help to help solve the problem.
As they will not solve it themselves.
@Gary Kearney:
That absolves him from telling people to commit suicide? Gurrier without a conscience.
Is opening a bank account rocket science?
The best I saw you look was when you dressed as a rat when you had a column in the news of the world.
Why is this man still getting air time…I’m not interested in what he has to say. This man started the ball rolling in ruining Ireland
have your say