{"id":19501,"date":"2021-01-29T16:18:49","date_gmt":"2021-01-29T20:18:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=19501"},"modified":"2021-01-30T11:00:02","modified_gmt":"2021-01-30T15:00:02","slug":"taoiseach-expresses-concerns-over-eu-decision-to-block-vaccine-supplies-to-the-north","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=19501","title":{"rendered":"Taoiseach Expresses Concerns Over EU Decision To Block Vaccine Supplies To The North"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin has spoken to the European Commission\u2019s president to express concerns over EU plans to block the supply of Covid-19 vaccinations into Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n

In an unexpected move on Friday, the European Union triggered Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol on Brexit, in a bid to prevent Northern Ireland from being used as a back door to funnel coronavirus vaccine from the bloc into the rest of the UK.<\/p>\n

It comes amid the ongoing row between the EU and vaccine supplier AstraZeneca over the number of vaccines made available to the bloc.<\/p>\n

Mr Martin spoke to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Friday evening to discuss the matter.<\/p>\n

A Government spokesperson said: \u201cWe are aware of the issue and the Taoiseach is currently in discussions with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to express our concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney tweeted: \u201cWe are working with the EU Commission to try to resolve this issue and protect the integrity and operation of the NI Protocol.\u201d<\/p>\n

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