EU's article 16 blunder has focused minds on Northern Ireland

Impact of Brexit protocol on politically unstable region could now get scrutiny it has long deserved

The EU's aborted attempt to trigger article 16 of the Northern Ireland protocol could be a blessing in disguise for Northern Ireland.

Its decision to pull the emergency cord on an agreement that had introduced regulatory checks on some products travelling between Britain and Northern Ireland without notifiying Dublin or London was quickly reversed.