Ireland thinks Britain unlikely to trigger N.Ireland trade clause

FILE PHOTO: Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney speaks at the launch of his party's manifesto for the Irish General Election in Dublin, Ireland January 24, 2020. REUTERS/Lorraine O'Sullivan/File Photo

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland does not expect Britain to trigger a clause in Northern Ireland's fraught post-Brexit trading deal to unilaterally jettison some of its terms, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday it was possible the British government would trigger "Article 16" if the European Union did not make appropriate concessions to ease the burden of trading restrictions on Northern Ireland.