Fine Gael accuses Great Britain of having “easily tiresome” routine in post-Brexit agreements

Fine Gael has accused Great Britain of having a “somewhat tiresome” routine of regularly “scrapping” the agreements made with Europe after Brexit.

Party’s European Affairs Spokesman Neale Richmond made the comments on Sunday when he insisted that the Northern Ireland Protocol “goes nowhere”.

“It’s a tiring routine that we accidentally go through every few weeks,” he told the BBC Sunday Politics.

“A British minister, usually Lord [David] Frost, I’ll go out there and throw them away [Northern Ireland] Protocol he negotiated, be it on social media or in a newspaper building into a head.

“Then we continue to the next part of the roundabout where we are.”

Mr Richmond said threats from the UK regarding the protocol are “taken seriously” by the European Commission but that they do not provide a solution to problems related to the protocol, which is part of the EU-UK Brexit Withdrawal Agreement is and provides for a special post-Brexit trade status for Northern Ireland.

“But I think there are solutions within the protocol,” added Mr. Richmond.

Mr Richmond referred to recent visits to the North by European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic and Foreign Secretary Simon Coveney as “action to be taken” to “not only meet with political leaders, but above all with community and community leaders.” Work the business on the practical problems that are at hand.

“We acknowledge that they exist in relation to agri-food, in relation to veterinary medicinal products and in relation to pharmaceuticals. . . there are absolutely solutions and the will to find solutions within the protocol. “

“We have already seen an exemption from cancer drugs,” he added.

“I would hope people will look at this reasonably, but the record is getting nowhere.

“It provides the way to ensure Northern Ireland doesn’t suffer the kind of Brexit impact we’re seeing in England this weekend, be it fuel or food shortages.”

‘Not helpful’

Fine Gael’s EU commissioner, Mairead McGuinness, also warned the UK on Sunday that threats to trigger a safeguard clause in the protocol would be “not helpful” and that the UK should seek solutions instead.

“I don’t think that’s the first approach; we should try to find solutions. I think threats are not helpful and I think Article 16 is used in very extreme circumstances, ”the European Commissioner for Financial Services told BBC The Andrew Marr Show.

Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol describes so-called safeguard measures, which allow the UK or the EU to take unilateral action if the agreement results in unexpected negative effects. Additional coverage: – Reuters