Responding to the UK Government’s proposals on dealing with the Northern Ireland Protocol, UUP Leader Doug Beattie MC MLA said:
“The UK Government has put forward proposals to resolve some of the difficulties being experienced as a result of the Northern Ireland Protocol. We will take our time to consider them in full, but it is welcome to see movement in the direction of finding pragmatic, workable solutions.
“I hope that the European Union will take their time in considering these proposals in good faith and will not reject them out of hand. Solutions need to be found and intransigence will only serve to harm Northern Ireland. I will be meeting with the Taoiseach Micheál Martin tomorrow in Dublin and making this case to him directly. If everyone is serious about protecting Northern Ireland and the Belfast Agreement, then we need to see space created for serious conversations around these proposals to take place. I’ll be making it clear that if the Irish Government stand by the status quo then they will be causing further damage.
“The Irish Sea Border is causing serious problems and cannot be ignored. We will keep pushing for solutions to be found.”