Emergency Stormont meeting called as construction work on Brexit checks is halted

The Infrastrucure Minister has called for an urgent Stormont meeting tonight (Friday) after it emerged the Agriculture Minister has halted construction of permanent inspection facilities for post-Brexit checks on agri-food goods arriving from Great Britain.

DUP minister Gordon Lyons has also stopped further recruitment of inspection staff for the port facilities and ordered an end to charges levied at the ports on traders bringing goods from GB into Northern Ireland.

Ongoing Irish Sea trade checks, which are taking place at existing repurposed port buildings and other temporary facilities, will continue.

Mr Lyons's decision relates to ongoing work on new purpose-built inspection facilities at ports like Belfast and Larne.

The Deputy First Minister said society needs 'certainty, not stunts'.

SDLP Deputy Leader and Northern Ireland’s Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon MLA said decisions like that should be taken together, not solo.

“I have requested an urgent meeting of the Executive this evening to address the unilateral action taken by Minister Gordon Lyons.

"This is a five party Executive facing two significant crises - a global pandemic and the impact of Brexit.

"We should be taking decisions together in the substantial common interests of the people we represent - not using political office for divisive stunts.

“This decision is controversial, cross-cutting and cannot be put into effect without Executive agreement.”

Mr Lyons said: "I have just let executive colleagues know that today I instructed my department to halt work on a range of issues relating to work at the ports.

"This is in and around a number of areas, first of all further infrastructure, any further infrastructure builds; the additional recruitment of staff; and also the charging at the ports.''

The decisions come amid the ongoing controversy over disruption caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol, which governs Irish Sea trade post-Brexit.

Unionists are angry at the protocol's requirement for checks on many goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.

They claim it has driven an economic wedge between the region and Great Britain, and has undermined the Union as a result.

Mr Lyons said his move was in response to the `practical difficulties' caused by the Protocol.