Ulster Unionist leader, Mike Nesbitt MLA, has said that the fact that Northern Ireland was not represented at this morning`s COBRA emergency committee meeting chaired by the Home Secretary is at best folly and at worst negligence. The meeting was held to provide an update on the situation in Paris and the UK`s response following the terrorist attacks.
Mr Nesbitt said:
"Considering that we are the only part of the United Kingdom with a land border with the rest of the EU, I am astounded that Northern Ireland was the only one of the four home nations not included in the COBRA briefing chaired by the Home Secretary this morning. Northern Ireland's position within the British Isles leaves it requiring special attention or else we are in danger of terrorists considering us as the weak underbelly of the UK's national security plan. To ignore this is at best folly and at worst negligence.
"It raises a number of questions - was the First Minister not available? Or did the government feel that they couldn't include OFMdFM given the suggestion that Martin McGuinness takes his orders from the Army Council of the Provisional IRA? If either of those scenarios is true, it is inexplicable that Northern Ireland wasn't at least represented by the Secretary of State. This is too serious an issue for excuses.
"I will be asking the Secretary of State for an explanation and also what discussions have taken place with the Irish government about security. My colleagues, Tom Elliott MP and Danny Kinahan MP, will pursue these matters in London."