Ulster Unionist Agriculture spokesperson, Rosemary Barton MLA has stated that the checks demanded by the EU at Northern Ireland`s ports have little to do with protecting the single market and are more an act of political extortion.

Mrs Barton said:

“Once again, at the Agricultural, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee, the ludicrous nonsense that is being demanded at Northern Ireland`s ports as a result of the Protocol was highlighted and exposed.

“The hostility of the EU to Northern Ireland through the ridiculous Protocol regulations on goods coming from GB has been demonstrated by the disproportionate checks it demands that are carried out on goods entering Northern Ireland. Even with the grace periods at present, the checks carried out in Northern Ireland are equivalent to 20% of similar checks carried out throughout the whole of the EU.

“When the grace period comes to an end the number of Agri-Food certificates needed for goods entering Northern Ireland will be the same as that needed for the whole of Europe. This has little to do with protecting the EU single market and is more an act of political extortion.

“At present with 12 vets working at the ports the situation is very difficult, and this situation can only get much worse in the future when the grace periods come to an end due to the inordinate number of checks that will be necessary. The number of Agri Food certificates needed for goods entering Northern Ireland will incredibly be the same as that needed for the whole of Europe.

“The demands being imposed by the NI Protocol are destabilising for the economy and have an unsettling effect on business in Northern Ireland. The Protocol must go.”