DODDS DEPT: BREXIT THREAT TO N.I.

Leaked document also reveals Covid-19 & climate change fears

DISCUSSION PAPER

BREXIT, coronavirus and climate change are an “existential threat” to Northern Ireland’s economy, a leaked paper from a DUP minister’s department says.

Issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol need to be mitigated to protect business with Great Britain, but the new arrangements are also a “window of opportunity” to establish the region as a “manufacturing gateway to the UK and EU”.

This could be “particularly attractive to businesses with global supply chains”, according to an internal paper from the Department for the Economy seen by the Mirror.

Northern Ireland’s “unique position” post-brexit also creates opportunities for the “health sciences sector, specifically medicines”.

The draft document from DFE, which is run by DUP minister Diane Dodds, appears at odds with her Brexit-backing party’s opposition to the NI Protocol.

DISRUPTION

DUP leader Arlene Foster has criticised the protocol, saying she wants to see the trading arrangements overturned.

Since January customs declarations and extra checks have been required on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland as part of the protocol, which aims to prevent a hard land border with the Republic.

DUP representatives have blamed it for trade disruption since the post-brexit transition period ended last month but opponents have said any problems are a consequence of leaving the EU.

The DFE paper outlines its “vision” to guide its policy response to Covid-19, Brexit and climate change.

A cover letter describes it as a “working draft” before a final version is presented to Mrs Dodds but it says the minister’s special adviser, EX-DUP MLA Alastair Ross, “has been closely involved in the development process and is comfortable with the direction of travel”.

The eight-page document says of Covid-19, Brexit and climate change: “Any one of these in isolation would be a once-in-ageneration economic event for policymakers to respond to.

“For them to materialise at the same time, and for their impacts to collide and compound, is unprecedented.”

The paper says Northern Ireland’s economy has “deep and stubborn structural weakness”, with “too few higher-paying jobs, a skills imbalance and a regional imbalance”.

It adds: “The economic-drag of these longstanding issues

stands to get worse as the impacts of Covid, Brexit and climate change are concentrated in these areas of weakness.”

The paper describes Dfe’s vision for a “10X economy”, by which it means “in 10 years’ time we want jobs, skills and places in Northern Ireland to be 10 times better than they are today”.

SDLP Brexit spokesperson Matthew O’toole said the document “makes crystal clear” that leaving the EU is a “profound drag on the local economy”. He added: “The Economy Minister championed Brexit, so it’s for Diane Dodds to explain why she was so wrong.”

A DFE spokesman said: “This is a draft discussion paper. It clearly states it does not represent current DFE policy. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this point.”

It’s for Diane Dodds to explain why she was so wrong MATTHEW O’TOOLE PICTURED, YESTERDAY