The Sub-Committee on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland announced a series of sessions in August with the express purpose of informing the House of Lords’ detailed consideration of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill in the coming weeks. Dr Gallagher spoke during a well-attended Sub-Committee session on 12 October that examined the political, economic and legal impact of both the original Protocol and the new Bill, and whether the latter is necessary to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement.
Dr Gallagher commented, “I was clear in my responses to the Sub-Committee that passing the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill would break two international agreements – the Withdrawal Agreement (2020) and the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (1998). Fundamentally, provision for amendments is already built into the Protocol itself and there are indications that there might be flexibility on all sides if this alternative route was pursued by the UK Government.
“I took my duty as a witness very seriously and considered it a public service. What to do about the Protocol is clearly a live issue that attracts strong political viewpoints. The mixture of legal and historical expertise I was able to offer the Committee was put together after careful consideration. The value of being able to read historical documents and the insights we can offer to Committees such as these reminds me of the importance of the Historical profession.”
Still from the recording of the 12 October session of the House of Lords Sub-Committee on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, with Dr Gallagher participating via videocall.
The Sub-Committee has only just begun to collect oral evidence, with three sessions held since August and seven witnesses called so far. It is notable at this early stage that:
Despite their different academic disciplines, both Fellows argued during their evidence that the Protocol Bill breaks international law without any legal or historical justification;
Dr Gallagher is the only woman to be called so far.
“From my interactions with the Sub-Committee members, it might have been easy to forget that it wasn’t me under scrutiny that day but the effectiveness and intentions of UK policymakers who drafted the Protocol Bill. I felt no qualms about drawing attention to the fact that our current predicament is also due to men behaving badly – and perhaps a handful of women!”
