The Agriculture ministry has expressed concern over the negative bearing that comes with the introduction of new rules that have been put in place on the transportation of goods and animals from Great Britain to North Ireland.
This comes after a European Union audit report whose focus was on evaluating the method of control in place for animals entering into the Republic’s Northern Province, was recently tabled.
Northern Ireland’s Agriculture Minister, Edwin Poots expressed dismay over the current measures pointing out that they are “unworkable”.
“I am repeatedly on record saying that the Northern Ireland Protocol is unworkable, for business, and unnecessary”.
Poots said this in response to the audit’s report, which was conducted last year which pointed out a plethora of concerns directed at resourcing and infrastructure, as well as the lack of a practical customs control method.
“I will continue to make representations to the UK Government and the EU Commission, stressing the negative impact of the additional new rules and the barriers they place on the movement of goods, products, and live animals from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, to which I am firmly opposed.”
The ministers concerns have, however; been met with backlash from the SDLP Brexit representative who dismissed them as a “desperate and reckless stunt”.
The representative, Matthew O’Toole the voiced concerns had nothing to do with animal protocol but a political gimmick.
“Minister Poot’s effort to undermine international law by thwarting the protocol is a pathetically transparent attempt to shore up his party’s support.”
O’Toole said Poot’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) must support feasible solutions that would benefit the North.
“Polls of the Northern Ireland population and business show that they want the protocol to be made to work, taking advantage of the clear economic opportunities from dual markets access while agreeing solutions where issues arise.
“DUP, which championed hard Brexit all along is doing what bullies do when they are found out- lashing out and trying to create chaos.”
LSL News.