Foster urges Johnson to replace NI Protocol

BELFAST: Northern Ireland’s First Minister has pressed Boris Johnson to replace the NI Protocol after the EU sparked a dispute over vaccine controls.

The EU caused outrage on Friday evening when it invoked Article 16 of the post-Brexit mechanism, to stop the unimpeded flow of vaccines from the European bloc into the region.

Brussels subsequently reversed the move following condemnation from London, Dublin and Belfast. Arlene Foster said it was an “absolutely incredible act of hostility towards those of us in Northern Ireland”.

“It’s absolutely disgraceful, and I have to say the Prime Minister now needs to act very quickly to deal with the real trade flows that are being disrupted between Great Britain and Northern Ireland,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday morning.

The DUP leader reiterated calls for Johnson to enact Article 16 of the protocol over delays being face by hauliers. “We’ve been asking the PM to deal with the flow problems and indeed, since January 1, we’ve been trying to manage along with the government the many, many difficulties that have arisen between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and there are actions he could take immediately,” she said. “There is great unrest and great tension within the community here in Northern Ireland so this protocol that was meant to bring about peace and harmony in Northern Ireland is doing quite the reverse. The protocol is unworkable, let’s be very clear about that, and we need to see it replaced because otherwise there is going to be real difficulties here in Northern Ireland.”

Pressed on whether that would be in breach of an international treaty, she said: “Well it didn’t seem to bother the European Union yesterday when they breached the treaty in terms of their embarrassment around their vaccine procurement.”

Northern Ireland’s health minister Robin Swann said he had spoken with UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock to seek reassurance on vaccine supplies. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “The Health Secretary and minister of health for Northern Ireland had a constructive discussion on the supply of Covid-19 vaccines.”

Ulster Unionist Party leader Steve Aiken backed Mrs Foster’s call for the UK government to intervene, describing the events of Friday night as a “tipping point”.