Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Stormont to probe why port’s staff were pulled
» Workers removed after threatening graffiti found » Sinn Fein MLA claims ‘PSNI assessment ignored’
A STORMONT committee is to investigate the decision to withdraw staff conducting Brexit checks at ports in Northern Ireland.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs temporarily suspended physical checks of animalbased products arriving at Larne and Belfast ports.
It followed a decision by Mid and East Antrim council to remove its staff from Larne Port due to safety concerns after the discovery of threatening graffiti.
Questions have mounted over the decision on Monday last week after police said there was no evidence of “credible threats”.
A majority of MLAS on the agriculture committee voted in favour of an inquiry into the department’s decision.
Council staff returned to inspection duties last Friday, while DAERA resumed physical checks at the ports on Wednesday.
Former Stormont agriculture minister DUP MLA Edwin Poots made the call to withdraw staff shortly before stepping down to receive cancer treatment.
Graffiti opposing Brexit-related Irish Sea border checks had appeared in the Larne area in recent weeks.
Sinn Fein MLA Philip Mcguigan, who proposed the committee inquiry, said: “It is clear that this decision warrants further investigation and scrutiny.”
He claimed the minister and council “ignored” the threat assessment from the PSNI and “came up with their own assessment”.
DUP members on the committee said the safety of staff was paramount.
MLA William Irwin added the decision to withdraw staff was a “sensible decision to make”.
He said: “We are playing a bit of politics and I think it is dangerous. It is important we act sensibly on this.”
Meanwhile, the DUP has withdrawn from party group leaders’ meetings of Mid and East Antrim council.
A planned meeting for yesterday was subsequently cancelled as it would be “not appropriate” to continue, the council’s chief executive said.
The DUP stated it withdrew due to
concerns about discussions being leaked to the media.
Other parties questioned why the meetings were not continuing.
DUP councillor Gregg Mckeen rejected criticisms, saying the group leaders’ meetings have “no decisionmaking powers”. He added: “We feel
it is not working now.”
We are playing a bit of politics... it is important we act sensibly MLA WILLIAM IRWIN YESTERDAY