Fresh negotiations are underway between Britain and the European Union over the controversial Northern Ireland Protocol. A loyalist paramilitary group opposed to the protocol has been setting fire to buses in Northern Ireland in recent weeks.

The Irish minister for European affairs has warned of “a danger of complete instability in Northern Ireland” if the British government forces its threats to trigger Article 16 and suspend the post-Brexit trade deal.

In a veiled dig at Britain’s Brexit Secretary Lord Frost, Thomas Byrne said: “A tough approach or a tough-guy approach, when it comes to Northern Ireland can only be counterproductive and will lead to disaster.”