NORTH-SOUTH BOYCOTT BY DUP BACK IN COURT
Businessman takes action after meeting snub
A BUSINESSMAN will seek an order compelling the DUP to end a boycott of north-south political structures if it does not change its stance next week.
Sean Napier was back in court yesterday to demand the current “confusing picture” is cleared up after one of the party’s ministers failed to participate in two crossborder meetings earlier in the day.
The DUP has vowed to disengage from the structures of the North South Ministerial Council, apart from meetings on health issues, as part of its protest against Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol.
However, on Monday a judge at Belfast High Court, Mr Justice Scoffield, ruled the position unlawful.
Despite that ruling, DUP Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots did not participate in two planned virtual meetings with Irish ministerial counterparts on environmental issues yesterday.
Under Stormont rules, such meetings cannot proceed without the participation of both a unionist and a nationalist minister from the Executive. On Monday, the judge did not make an order compelling the DUP to participate in future meetings but told Mr Napier – who brought the legal challenge – that he could come back to court to seek one if the party did not act on his declaration of unlawfulness.
Belfast businessman Mr Napier and his legal team returned to the High Court yesterday.
Following a brief hearing, Mr Justice Scoffield allowed the respondents until the close of business on Tuesday to respond, with the case to be heard again on Wednesday.
Speaking outside court, Mr Napier’s solicitor Paul Farrell said the next stage of the process would be for his client to seek a specific order from the court, unless the DUP changed position.
He added: “The ball is very clearly in the court of the DUP so far as that is concerned but Mr Napier is determined to see this matter through, so we await with interest what the response from the DUP leadership and ministers are by Wednesday of next week.”
Asked what his client would do if the DUP persisted with the boycott, the solicitor added: “Mr Napier’s instructions are to proceed to the next stage which would be to request an order from the court in relation to the engagement of the DUP with the North South Ministerial Council, as they are required to do.”
Mr Napier said his main aim was to protect the Good Friday Agreement. He carried a copy of the peace accord into court.
He added: “In 1998 as a young journalist I was at Stormont buildings when this was signed. For me I feel a bit of a guardian towards it.
“It’s been there for us, it’s kept the peace here and it’s imperative that it is properly implemented in all its parts. It’s not an a la carte treaty, it’s important for what it has done for the greater good of the people here.”
The ball is very clearly in the court of the DUP.. we await the response PAUL FARRELL YESTERDAY