Finally, a deal is done on the Northern Ireland protocol. For the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), that means decision time.
Our Northern Ireland Editor Freya McClements sums up the situation following the unveiling of the Windsor Framework, the agreement between the UK and the European Union aimed at resolving the seemingly interminable row over Brexit. Read it here.
The DUP has been bitterly opposed to the Northern Ireland protocol amid concern that it distanced the North from the rest of the UK and it has refused to re-enter power-sharing as a result.
All eyes are now be on the party to see if it deems the agreement contains allow for the re-establishment of the Northern Ireland Executive and Stormont Assembly.
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McClements writes that initial reaction from DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson was cautious: although it was “clear that significant progress has been secured across a number of areas”, he said, “key issues of concern” remain.
So it’s waiting time for London, Dublin and Brussels to see if the deal signed off on by British prime minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will have the desired effect in Northern Ireland.
Mr Sunak certainly believes it will be good for the UK as a whole to put this damaging dispute with the EU to bed.
As Mark Paul, Naomi O’Leary and Freya McClements report in our lead story the Windsor Framework has been hailed by Mr Sunak as a “new chapter” in the relationship between the UK and EU.
In the House of Commons he took up the language of the hardline Brexiteers in his own party and turned it back on them, urging them to back the framework that he insisted would help Britain to “take back control”.
He has promised to give the DUP “time and space”.
The deal aims to free up trade between the North and Britain by splitting imports into the North into different customs lanes: green lanes with no checks for goods from Britain that would stay in the North, and a red lane with enhanced checks for goods due to be sent on to the Republic and the European single market.
Mr Sunak said the new arrangements would ensure that Northern Ireland’s supermarkets and pharmacies would be able to stock any foodstuffs and medicines sold elsewhere in Britain, but which under the protocol might have been restricted under single market rules.
The Windsor Framework includes a mechanism for the Assembly to raise objections to EU laws that apply to the North. The “Stormont Brake”, based on a provision of the Belfast Agreement, will allow a cross-party section of MLAs to trigger a UK veto on certain EU trade rules in the North.
Mr Sunak also promised to ditch the controversial Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, which angered the EU by proposing to give Britain the powers to unilaterally scrap elements of the previous deal.
Simon Carswell has an explainer here as part of The Irish Times’ comprehensive coverage.
Our main Editorial calls the agreement “a route to stability and progress” saying the EU has made “significant concessions” and “those who choose to oppose the deal must outline what is now the alternative”.
The agreement secured Mr Sunak near-universal glowing front-page coverage in the British press. “Brexit Breakthrough” is the headline in the Times with a large picture of the British prime minister shaking Ms von der Leyen’s hand.
The Telegraph’s headline reads “Sunak: My deal is a new way forward” while the Independent also runs the hand-shake picture alongside the words “Look who finally got Brexit done and it wasn’t you Boris”.
The Daily Mail asks “Has Rishi done the impossible?” as it suggests the “threat of Tory rebellion appears to melt away”. However, it also runs a picture of King Charles with Ms von der Leyen and asks another question: “Could this meeting be a moment the King comes to regret?”
In the North the Belfast Telegraph’s headline is “Make or Brake” as it reports that the “DUP hails progress but won’t be rushed to make call” and how the “complex Stormont Brake gives MLAs say on EU rules”.
Best Reads
Elsewhere on the front page Jack Horgan-Jones reports that the inquiry into the State’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis is to be set up by the middle of the year.
He also looks at how the sacred cows of the Covid-19 response have been called into question by softly-spoken medic Prof Martin Cormicon, a former member of the National Public Health Emergency Team that advised the Government during the pandemic.
Horgan-Jones also reports that Fianna Fáil Minister of State Niall Collins has said he acted correctly in a planning application, disputing a report on the Ditch website. Read it here.
Education editor Carl O’Brien reports on how plans to move some Leaving Cert exams to fifth year from 2024 are being scrapped.
An Irish-Russian woman identified by Australian authorities as a security threat had access to a wide network of tech companies. Conor Gallagher, Barry Roche and Conor Lally report here.
Playbook
The Cabinet meets this morning. For a round-up of what’s on the agenda, including plans to set up a new agency to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, click here.
This week’s Dáil proceedings kick off with Leaders’ Questions at 2pm.
Government Business includes the second stage of the Credit Union (Amendment) Bill 2022.
Sinn Féin have a motion on the National Ambulance Service which will be debated from 6pm.
TDs will raise Topical Issues from 9.30pm onwards.
In the Seanad the Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill 2021 will be considered from 3.15pm.
Fianna Fáil Senators Catherine Ardagh and Ollie Crowe are putting forward the Remuneration and Pay Transparency Bill 2023 for debate at 4.45pm.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin will brief the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the recent EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting and priorities for the year ahead from 3.15pm.
The Committee on Integration will examine integration and refugee issues with representatives from migrant and refugee rights organisation NASC, the Irish Refugee Council and the Cultúr Migrant Centre from 3.45pm. See our story here.
The Committee on Housing is conducting pre-legislative scrutiny on the draft Planning and Development Bill 2022. See our story here.
