The Taoiseach has said that the British government's attempts this week to change the Northern Ireland (NI) Protocol, show that it does not understand how the protocol is already working for the agriculture sector.

Mícheal Martin, speaking in the Dáil yesterday, said:

"It seems to me that this is something that is not understood by the British government, particularly with its dual regulatory approach in food traceability, which puts a lot of agri-food industries and enterprises at risk if it proceeds with its proposals as announced yesterday.

"That is what illustrates, more than anything, the lack of real thinking-through of those proposals by the British government," he said.

Earlier this week, details of the Northern Ireland (NI) Protocol Bill indicated the government's intention to make four principal legislative changes to the previously agreed Brexit arrangements.

These include:

The Taoiseach made his above comments while answering questions relating to the role of the  National Economic and Social Council (NESC) and the work that it does - a question put to him by multiple deputies.

One such deputy, Brendan Smith, said he had previously suggested that a work project be undertaken on the specific challenges faced by the border region, in particular the central border area of Cavan, Monaghan, Fermanagh and Tyrone.

"We are very dependent on the agri-food, engineering and construction products sectors. Our key market is Britain," Deputy Smith said.

"That alone demonstrates the vulnerability of our local economy considering that the British government proposes to break its international obligations following an agreement, which it freely made."

He said the dairy, beef and, sheepmeat sectors are all interdependent on a cross-border and all-Ireland basis.

"The proposals made by the British government have alarmed and frightened people in those sectors. They are utterly crazy proposals and a clear message must go back to the British government that the protocol is working in the context of the agri-food and farming sector. We have significant volumes of milk coming south for processing in Co. Cavan, and elsewhere."