Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CHECKS WON’T BE IN PLACE BEFORE 2023
Senior official blames uncertainty over delays to permanent facilities Four
PERMANENT facilities for postbrexit checks at Northern Ireland ports will not be operating before 2023, MLAS were told yesterday.
The senior official in the Stormont department responsible for the construction said the delay was due to ongoing uncertainty over the volume of regulatory inspections that will be required when grace periods limiting the red tape end.
Department of Agriculture permanent secretary
Denis Mcmahon updated the Assembly scrutiny committee on the project timeline yesterday.
He also confirmed the final decision to approve the building work was a matter for the wider Stormont Executive,
not solely his minister. Required checks on agri-food goods have been taking place in temporary facilities and repurposed port buildings since the transition period ended on December 31. Dr Mcmahon’s comments came during a committee hearing on the controversial decision to halt checks at those temporary points in February due to alleged threats. Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton told members it remained the
PSNI’S position there were no credible threats to staff.
The EU has been pressing for urgent progress on building permanent checking facilities, which the bloc had expected to be completed by this summer.
The point of entry inspections at Belfast, Larne, Warrenpoint and Foyle ports are required under the terms of Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol, which requires a series of new checks on certain goods coming into the region from the rest of the UK.
Dr Mcmahon told the committee the initial timescale for delivery had been “ridiculous”. He added: “It’s now clear we’re going to need to seek approval from the Northern Ireland Executive before any build of permanent facilities could commence.”
He said there was a “huge variation” in estimated figures on the likely number of checks that will be required.
Dr Mcmahon added that made it “difficult, if not impossible” to complete a full business case that was in line with Treasury and Stormont guidance on public spending.