Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Arlene ‘threat’ to peace deal
Foster says deal could be altered Party leaders’ anger at DUP claim
Good Friday Agreement is not up for negotiation in these Brexit talks LEO VARADKAR DAIL YESTERDAY
ARLENE Foster was labelled “reckless” yesterday after claiming the Good Friday Agreement can be changed to suit Brexit.
The DUP leader sparked an angry backlash after saying the 1998 peace accord is not “sacrosanct”.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dail: “The Government stands by the GFA and will defend its primacy.
“We see our role as the co-defenders of that agreement.
“It is not a piece of British legislation, it is an international agreement between the British and Irish governments, as well as a multi-party agreement.
“It can only be changed with the agreement of British and Irish governments and only be changed with the consent of the people of Northern Ireland and indeed across cross-community consent. It is certainly, as far as this government is concerned, the Good Friday Agreement is not up for negotiation in these Brexit talks.”
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou Mcdonald said the comments “are unacceptable and reveal a reckless disregard for the peace process, prosperity and progress”.
She added: “It should be remembered Arlene Foster left the UUP, which supported the Good Friday Agreement, to join the anti-agreement DUP.
“It appears she has learnt nothing over the past 15 years. The Good Friday Agreement was endorsed by the vast majority of people north and south. It is the people’s agreement and not a chip to be bargained with as part of any Tory/ DUP Brexit deal.”
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Mrs Foster said: “It has been deeply frustrating to hear people who voted Remain and in Europe talk about Northern Ireland as though we can’t touch the Belfast Agreement. Things evolve, even in the EU context.
“There has been a lot of misinterpretation, holding it up as a sacrosanct piece of legislation.” Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann
accused her of being “strategically shortsighted”.
He said: “The DUP may have been happy to corrupt the 1998 agreement for their own ends at St Andrews, but I cannot believe the DUP leader has been so careless as to throw it open in such a haphazard way.
“The principle of consent binds us to the UK, it is the best settlement for unionists and should be sacrosanct.”
However, later yesterday Mrs Foster voiced “concerns” over the Chancellor’s claim there may have to be a hard border in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Philip Hammond is reported to have told a Tory conference fringe event that in the event of no deal, London, under World Trade Organisation rules, would have to reinstate checks.
Mrs Foster, speaking at a DUP fringe event, said checks would cause “diffi- culty” and added she would be “reiterating” her position on the border issue to the Prime Minister.
The DUP event was attended by dozens of Tory members, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and Secretary of State Karen Bradley. Mrs Foster said: “We are not going to allow the UK to be broken up by Brussels or anybody else.
Northern Ireland is not about to be a semi-detached part of the UK.
“We are not bluffing. Our job is to protect the union, our job is to do what is right for Northern Ireland and you can be assured that we will do that.”
On the Chancellor’s remarks Mrs Foster said: “I have concerns.”
She added: “We have been saying it will not be the UK that will be enforcing any borders.
“If the EU feel they need to have a border that’s a matter for them if they feel they have to protect their single market in a particular way.
“So Philip Hammond talking about a border is something new, something we want to explore as well, because certainly that’s not my understanding.”
There was a more comedic moment when Secretary of State Karen Bradley praised the BBC and Mrs Foster was caught on camera laughing.
Video of the incident was shared on social media with a suggestion she said: “I’m not sure about that.”
Some in the DUP have fallen out with the BBC over its exposure of the RHI scandal.