Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-
“The future of our potato sector relies on ready access to seed potatoes from GB. Yet, under the iniquitous Protocol, the importation of seed potatoes from GB is banned because GB is now declared a ‘third country’ and thus subject to the ban which arises under Regulation EU 2016/2031.
“This absurd and destructive situation arises because, despite my warnings, MLAs – including every DUP and UUP member – voted to implement this and other EU Regulations – 45 in all. Only Jim Wells and I voted against.*
“On 8 December 2020, in face of a warning from me of the serious import of what it was about to do, the Assembly approved The Plant Health and Diseases of Animals (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020.
“Under Paragraph 2(3) of same the Assembly embraced section 41 of Annex 2 of the Protocol. The said section 41 imposed Regulation EU 2016/2031, which, among other things, bans the importation of seed potatoes from ‘third countries’.
“It is this provision which now bans seed potatoes coming from GB to Northern Ireland, with devastating consequences for the potato sector.
“Going into next year our potato sector faces severe shortage of seed potatoes – as does the Republic – because of this absurd EU law and the sleepwalking of 81 MLAs. Some unionist MLAs are now protesting the adverse impact on the sector, but when it mattered they were blindly voting for this ludicrous seed ban.
“In this we have yet another example of the punitive and preposterous impact of the Protocol, which must go in all its parts.”
Read the offical report of the debate and vote here.
The Assembly divided:
Ayes 81; Noes 2 AYES Dr Aiken, Mr Allen, Ms Anderson, Dr Archibald, Ms Armstrong, Ms Bailey, Mrs Barton, Mr Beattie, Mr Blair, Mr Boylan, Mr M Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Ms S Bradley, Ms Bradshaw, Ms Brogan, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Mr Butler, Mrs Cameron, Mr Carroll, Mr Catney, Mr Chambers, Mr Clarke, Mr Dickson, Ms Dillon, Mrs Dodds, Ms Dolan, Mr Dunne, Mr Durkan, Mr Easton, Ms Ennis, Ms Flynn, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Gildernew, Mr Givan, Ms Hargey, Mr Harvey, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Ms Hunter, Mr Irwin, Mr Kearney, Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mrs Long, Mr Lynch, Mr Lyons, Mr Lyttle, Mr McAleer, Mr McCann, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Miss McIlveen, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McNulty, Ms Mallon, Mr Middleton, Mr Muir, Ms Mullan, Mr Murphy, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Dowd, Mrs O’Neill, Mr O’Toole, Mr Poots, Mr Robinson, Ms Rogan, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Mr Stewart, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Miss Woods Tellers for the Ayes: Ms Brogan, Mr McGuigan NOES Mr Allister, Mr Wells Tellers for the Noes: Mr Allister, Mr Wells