There has been a mixed local reaction to the ‘Windsor Framework’ announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to remove barriers connected to by the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The framework removes the Northern Ireland Protocol’s barriers on trade across the Irish Sea and hands a “veto” to politicians in Stormont on EU law – a set of concessions from Brussels that went further than some expected.

Any resistance to the deal from the DUP will not result in changes to the framework, as reopening the agreement, which has taken months to negotiate, is not viewed as a workable solution.

The DUP has said the party will now take time to consider the Protocol deal reached between the UK and the EU, in part due to EU law remaining applicable in some sectors, while Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan is calling on the DUP to end its “blockade” of the Northern Ireland Executive.

Fermanagh and South Tyrone DUP MLA Deborah Erskine said: “The position we took in getting the EU and the [British] Government to recognise the dire consequences of the NI Protocol has been vindicated.

“Sinn Fein, SDLP and the Alliance Party all called for the rigorous implementation of the NI Protocol, [and] scorned the DUP for even trying to bring the EU back to the table.

“Those parties should hang their heads in shame and apologise for their lack of ambition.”

Echoing a position taken by her DUP colleagues, Mrs. Erskine said: “However, we have to take time to consider this framework, as there has been significant progress in some areas, but there remain areas of key concerns.

“This is particularly the case whenever we consider that in some sectors of our economy, EU law remains applicable in Northern Ireland.

“Ultimately, as a party, we will consider the Windsor Framework ... we will take our time to ensure the best for Northern Ireland.”

Also commenting on the Windsor Framework was Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan, who said: “I welcome the joint announcement from the European Commission President and the British Prime Minister that negotiations have now concluded, and a joint agreement secured.

“We listened to what they said, and will assess the full detail of the agreement, and what effect it will have, in practice.

“Sinn Féin’s position throughout this process was to prevent a return to a hard border on the island of Ireland, to protect the Good Friday Agreement, the all-island economy, and safeguard access to the EU single market for the whole island. That remains the case.”

Concluding, and calling for forward movement in the NI Executive, Miss Dolan said: “Most people’s minds will now be on a restoration of the Executive and other political institutions of the Good Friday Agreement so that we can get back to work and together make politics work.

“This means that the DUP must end its blockade.”

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