Ulster Unionist Leader Robin Swann MLA has said the impounding of two Northern Ireland fishing boats by the Irish Navy was a sign of the Irish Government foolishly upping the ante ahead of Brexit.
Robin Swann said:
“The seizure of these two boats was totally uncalled for, and was little more than an unsubtle point scoring exercise by the Irish Government. It also appears to be a rather reckless example of unionist baiting by a Taoiseach – something that would have been unimaginable from several of his predecessors before him.
“I wonder how the Irish fishing fleet would respond if the UK were to suddenly bar them from fishing the inshore waters around Northern Ireland. Yet that's unlikely to happen because, unlike the current Irish Government, we still see the value in doing things the right way and using the appropriate diplomatic channels.
“I find it really disheartening that less than a month away from the UK leaving the European Union that the Irish Government are more interested in engaging in pathetic stunts such as these than they are in trying to find a solution on the border for the 29th March onwards.
“The increasingly reckless brinkmanship and public statements coming from people such as Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney has to end.”
