MLA slams NI Protocol on 'unacceptable and unconstitutional' cattle import rules

Newry and Armagh DUP assemblyman, William Irwin, said the processes involved in complying with the Northern Ireland Protocol are placing a “significant financial burden on farmers”, which he feels is “unacceptable and unconstitutional”.

Mr Irwin commented: "It is simply unacceptable for a farmer to be subjected to the ridiculous checks, paper work and financial burdens associated with re-identifying animals leaving one part of the United Kingdom to enter another part of the United Kingdom. I can see why this infuriates our farming community.

“I have been speaking this week with farmers who have been bringing store cattle from the mainland to NI for years without any issue and now they face a mountain of paper work and costs to retag the animals. This is also a health and safety issue as the existing tags must be removed and new ones installed which obviously is an involved process on an older animal.

“There are restrictions on movements for a 30-day period after entering Northern Ireland from the mainland, this also presents logistical issues and shows exactly why the Protocol is so prohibitive to trade in Northern Ireland agriculture.”

He added: "These draconian rules are costly, unnecessary and unworkable and must be consigned to the scrap heap along with the rest of the red tape and bureaucracy associated with the Northern Ireland Protocol. There will be no return to devolved administration until this happens.”