LAST UPDATE | 28 Oct 2022

BERTIE AHERN SAID it is a “sad day” for the people of Northern Ireland as they face into another election, which he said will solve and do nothing.

The former Taoiseach and architect of the Good Friday Agreement said an election will not “change a damn thing”.

He made the comments as the election is expected to be called by Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, after a deadline to restore devolved government at Stormont passed.

Ahern said that Heaton-Harris talked himself into the election in recent weeks after stating he has a legal obligation.

“I think it’s a pity, I think it’s a sad day and feel sorry for people in the north because this won’t decide what’s in the (Northern Ireland) Protocol,” Ahern said.

“The only thing that will decide the protocol are the negotiations that are necessary.”

The DUP is blocking the restoration of power sharing as part of its protest against the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol.

A six-month legislative timeframe to form an administration expired in the early hours of Friday.

Talks between Brussels and London to resolve the outstanding issues are ongoing, however Ahern believes there are “no negotiations” taking place between both sides.

“The last meetings of substance were last October. There was a bit of a meeting for a half day in February,” he told RTE’s Today with Claire Byrne programme.

“Talks started last week but no negotiations, there’s a big difference between talks and discussions and negotiations, and now they’ve thrown the north into an election.

“It doesn’t matter whether people vote black, white, yellow or pink in the election, it won’t change anything. The protocol is still the protocol and it isn’t up for discussion in the election.

Ahern also said the UK Government needs to learn “a bit more” about the DUP and its stance on the Northern Ireland Protocol, stating that the party will not change its position until there is a solution.

He said that people in Northern Ireland now face an election “that solves nothing does nothing”.

“The main issue that’s causing the breakdown is not even on the agenda. So, if they all voted 100% one way or the other, it doesn’t change a damn thing,” Ahern added.

“I think what happens now is the election will be on the 15th, there’ll be all the rancour in between, hopefully it’s a peaceful election.

“Hopefully, people use their democratic vote for whatever individuals they like.

“On the other side of that, they’ll have a Christmas break and then maybe the British government might consider doing what they should have done a few years ago and get into serious negotiations, not discussions, and try to find a way forward.”

Ahern said he is also concerned the British Government will use Northern Ireland as a bargaining chip in the protocol negotiations.

He added: “We know the problems, they’ve been rehearsed time and time again, but the British government can say what they like, but the reality is there hasn’t been any negotiations for a full 12 months.

“It was just coming up to Halloween last year was the last meeting of substance and with all the musical chairs that have been going on in Westminster, people in Northern Ireland have been left.

“I hope they noticed that. I do hope people in Northern Ireland see that in Number 10, they are low on their priority.”

Fresh elections

Speaking in Cork today, the Taoiseach the restoration of the Executive and the Assembly is the priority for all of the political parties in the North.

The Good Friday Agreement framework is there for both governments to operate within, he said, stating that it does involve consultation between the Irish government and the British government “if there’s any prolonged period of direct rule or no devolution, so to speak”.

“I think we will all work within the framework of the agreement,” he said.

The Taoiseach said there is no great desire for an election among the political parties in Northern Ireland, adding that in his view, this should be seen as an opportunity “to pause to see whether we can get institutions back, in parallel with that having substantive negotiations between the United Kingdom Government and the European Union”.

“The law does provide for an election, I acknowledge that. But we know what elections can do, they can lead to further polarisation. There’s an obligation to everybody not to allow that happen,” he said.

The  overall objective is ensuring there is an agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom Government, he added.

“I genuinely believe there’s a desire on behalf of the UK Government and the Prime Minister, following my conversation this week, that he would prefer a negotiated resolution of issues pertaining to the protocol,” said Martin.

With reporting by Christina Finn