Brexit: Dodds calls for NI-GB freight going via Dublin to get clear passage

The Minister wrote to Cabinet Secretary Michael Gove, asking him to urgently raise the matter with the Irish Government so that NI goods can pass through Dublin on the way to GB in the same manner as they would from an NI port.

Mrs Dodds raised the issue after her department found that at least 20% of Northern Ireland Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) traffic travels through the Republic of Ireland, predominantly Dublin Port, on its way to Great Britain.

The analysis suggests there are around 80,000 HGV trips on this route annually

Mrs Dodds said: “The national Government has committed to protect our place in the UK internal market and to guarantee unfettered access for our products. It is clear that if 20% of this trade is moving via Dublin Port to GB because it is a pragmatic measure for their business, then the commitment to unfettered access must also address this trade route.

“If nothing is done to ensure that goods moving via Dublin are treated in the same way as NI goods leaving from Belfast or Larne, then the Government is not fulfilling this promise.”

The research – which was carried out by Citi Logik – used HGV driver mobile phone data to extrapolate freight movements. It found also that 57% of HGV crossings between NI and GB go through Belfast and 22% go through Larne.

Stephen Kelly, CEO of Manufacturing NI, said: “This is a welcome intervention by the minister.

“Recognition of this key route to market has been overlooked by both the EU and the UK Government and isn’t even recognised in the UK Internal Market Bill which has been portrayed by the Government as providing a safety net,” he said. “For many firms, particularly many in chilled food, the Dublin to Wales route accounts for 100% of their route to the GB market so this needs addressed as a priority.”

Meanwhile Taoiseach Micheal Martin said a failure by the UK and EU to reach agreement on a post-Brexit trade deal would be “very, very damaging all around.”

Talks between the two parties have been taking place in London this week, but they are not expected to bear fruit despite progress needing to be made soon if a new deal is to be in place when the current arrangements expire at the end of the year.

Without a deal being struck, trade between the UK and EU will be subject to tariffs set out by the World Trade Organisation.

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