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A deal will have a bit less significance for NI compared to other parts of the UK. Due to the NI Protocol NI was getting tariff free trade with the EU (& an Irish Sea border) regardless.
But UK-EU zero tariff trade would make the NI Protocol easier to work. Some of the mindbending complexity of the ‘at risk goods’ issue will be reduced.
Also even with a zero tariff deal NI firms will still have advantage on trade with EU, compared to GB rivals. Only NI firms will avoid new regulatory checks because they will still be following EU single market rules.
Also NI firms have a direct route to EU market with new ‘Brexit Buster’ ferries out of Dublin & Rosslare to EU ports.
But importantly the Protocol only covers goods not services so announcements on data adequacy & security (which are side deals to any trade deal) will have implications for NI.
If there is to be a deal we should also find out about EHIC for NI. Either there’s agreement on that or the Irish govt will press the button on their promise to people in NI.
Also you would hope that if there’s a deal the govt would be able to announce what the mitigations are for GB-NI parcel movements.
