Protocol is the law and it must be adhered to: SF

The party was reacting after Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots ordered a halt to Brexit agri-food checks at Northern Ireland ports.

Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill branded Mr Poots’s actions a “stunt”.

She tweeted: “This stunt is an attempt by the DUP to unlawfully interfere with domestic and international law.”

Her party colleague John O’Dowd said that Mr Poots was “perfectly aware” of the Executive position over the protocol.

He said: “The protocol is the law. The DUP signed off at the Executive that they would adhere to the regulations within the protocol.

“I have a number of questions which require to be answered by Mr Poots. Where did he get this legal advice? Did he go to the attorney general? Did he use government legal advisers?

“The facts remain the same. The Executive has a position that they will adhere to the protocol, to the European Withdrawal Agreement, and the principle remains for all Executive ministers, you have to adhere to the law.”

Mr O’Dowd (pictured) said he had no doubt civil servants would be “taking advice” over Mr Poots’s decision to halt checks.

He added: “We will do everything within our power to ensure that the Executive operates properly.

“The civil servants, I have no doubt, are already taking advice. The civil service has its own guidance and protocols to work to and I have no doubt the civil service will be examining that very closely.”