Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Data roaming charges a bad call for Ulster
Licence may not be valid Cancer care under threat Border bills would rocket Government proposes ‘cap’
MOTORISTS in Northern Ireland may need an international permit to drive in the Republic in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
A statement on the UK Government website said while UK driving licences are now valid for Europe, it “may no longer be valid by itself when driving in the EU” if a deal isn’t reached.
A Department for Transport statement said: “The UK Government is clear that, in the event of no deal, we must continue to respect our unique relationship with Ireland, with whom we share a land border and signed the Belfast Agreement.”
Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson said: “It raises legitimate concerns over lengthy border delays if permits are to be checked.“ A FLAGSHIP cross-border cancer hospital could be impacted by post-brexit restrictions on moving radioactive isotopes, a health forum has heard.
Ruth Taillon, director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies, highlighted some of the possible consequences for services at the North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry if a hard Brexit results in restrictions.
She said: “Where things might get a bit dicey is if there are problems transposing radioactive isotopes across borders once we lose the Euratom agreements.
“There could also be issues around the mobility of other medical staff or patients across the border and we really can’t predict.” MOBILE phone bills for customers living near the border could spike after Brexit, the Government has warned.
Papers setting out what could happen if no deal is struck state consumers and businesses should be aware of “inadvertent” data roaming – where a stronger signal from the Republic kicks in.
It comes after Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab urged phone firms not to impose roaming charges on customers if the UK crashes out of the European Union.
Which? chief Peter Vicary-smith said: “Two-thirds of people think it is important free roaming exists when travelling in the EU, so the news we could face the return of sky-high charges to use our phones abroad will come as a real blow.”
Vodafone, Three, EE and O2, which cover more than 85% of mobile subscribers, have said they have no current plans to change their approach to mobile roaming once the UK leaves.
Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson said it “adds to the growing fears” over Brexit.
She added: “While some mobile phone operators have said they want to avoid the re-introduction of roaming charges for customers, the huge uncertainty over Brexit as a result of the huge splits in the Tory party means customers, including businesses, are still unsure what will happen.”
SDLP MLA for West Tyrone Daniel Mccrossan added that Tory Brexiteers care little about the impact of leaving the EU on people in Northern Ireland.
He said: “Whilst Dominic Rabb has said roaming charges would be limited, the reality is that the public in the North have lost faith in the promises of Tory Brexiteers.”
The Government will legislate to introduce a cap on charges if there is a no-deal scenario.
It would set a £45 per monthly billing period limit and force companies to send alerts when 80% of that had been reached.
Mr Raab told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Vodafone and Three have publicly said they wouldn’t introduce any roaming fees for UK consumers travelling on the continent.
“What we’ve said is we would like to see other companies follow suit, but, in any event, we would legislate for a limit on roaming charges to make sure in a no-deal scenario we protect British consumers.”
If a deal is secured, surcharge-free roaming will continue during the transition time but arrangements after that are dependent on the outcome of the Future Economic Partnership negotiations.
WEST TYRONE SDLP MLA LIMITED