First Minister Arlene Foster concerned about checks on goods coming into NI
The DUP leader made the comments on Sky's Sophie Ridge on Sunday
DUP leader Arlene Foster says she is concerned about checks on goods coming into Northern Ireland.
Speaking to the Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, she said, “We have left the European Union, but unfortunately for those of us who live in Northern Ireland we are going to be still the subject to single market regulations and it's important for us to get clarity on what that actually means for us in Northern Ireland, in relation to future trade deals and indeed what's going to happen when goods are coming from Great Britain into Northern Ireland.”
“We rely heavily on goods coming from Great Britain into Northern Ireland, I think about 70% of all the goods that come over into Northern Ireland come from Great Britain.”
“We're concerned about that.”
“We worry about the fact that it might reduce our choice in terms of consumer choice in Northern Ireland, we're worried about price and the fact that it may put up prices in Northern Ireland, and of course the very fundamental issue of having checks internally within a country is of great concern to me as a unionist.''
Asked whether she trusts Boris Johnson on his pledge that there will be no checks on goods coming into Northern Ireland from Great Britain, Ms Foster said, “We've heard Boris Johnson say this right throughout the issue.”
“He told one of my colleagues in the House of Commons that emphatically there would not be checks, but it's difficult to see how that is the case, given that we've heard from other members of the Cabinet, that they intend to diverge away from single market regulations, whilst Northern Ireland remains within the single market.”
“It's difficult to see how that's going to work but we're in Northern Ireland, working through what's called the Joint Ministerial Council where we meet with colleagues from Scotland and Wales and from the Westminster Government to try and work through all of these matters because it is a huge issue for us, not just in Northern Ireland, but of course will have impacts in Scotland and Wales as well, in terms of their ports.”
“What's going to happen there when the goods are coming over from Great Britain into Northern Ireland?''