Orange Order heartland rocked by bitter row over Irish Sea border

Long-serving Orangeman and DUP MLA William Irwin has been stung by fierce criticism from the Markethill lodge – including the claim that he has supported the creation of the barrier to free trade.

A message on the Markethill Facebook page names Mr Irwin as the “sole representative of the unionist community” for the area, and adds: “It is with sadness and anger that we note that he has gone against the wishes of his electorate and voted for the Irish Sea border.”

The lodge statement says: “In this year of 2021, which should be one of great celebration as we look back on the glorious and illustrious history of our beloved country over the past 100 years, instead we are faced with the greatest crisis since its formation.

“The NI Protocol is an act of absolute betrayal... and our position as a sovereign part of the UK by all those that both agreed to it and those who fail to do all within their power to stop it.”

It adds: “The District further call on our fellow brother Orangeman, Edwin Poots, the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to immediately stop officials within his department from implementing the Irish Sea border checks.”

The anger appears to have been sparked by a meeting of Stormont’s DEARA committee on December 3, where officials from the department briefed members, including Mr Irwin, on the new arrangements for bringing seeds and related products into Northern Ireland.

As the session got underway, the committee chair told members: “The Department advises that a major concern regarding the marketing of seed at the end of the implementation period is the prohibition of the marketing of British-certified seed for those species listed at annex 2 of the protocol due to the fact that Britain will be deemed to be a third country for marketing purposes.”

However, at the same meeting, a DAERA official advised committee members: “If seed from Great Britain is on the market as of 31 December, that can continue to be marketed and brought into Northern Ireland after the implementation period.” Mr Irwin responded on Saturday evening by saying the claims, that he supported a border in the Irish Sea, are “disingenuous and it would appear politically motivated”.

He said: “As an Orangeman of some 48 years, in the District of Loughgall and as WM of Ballytyrone LOL104 steering the considerable task of rebuilding our Orange hall after an arson attack, I am very disappointed by Markethill District Orange No10’s untrue claim,

“I am absolutely at one with the many thousands of Unionists across Northern Ireland who find the imposition of this Protocol and its outworkings offensive and running contrary to everything we stand for. No sovereign country should have barriers to trade and customs arrangements placed within it.”

Mr Irwin added: “I did not vote for the Protocol nor have I supported it. That is the unalterable fact of the matter. To suggest otherwise is wrong, disingenuous and it would appear politically motivated. Nothing I have done... has brought about any border in the Irish Sea”.

The Markethill LOL message attracted more than 100 comments attacking the local MLA and the DUP.

Former DUP MP Emma Pengelly was one of only a handful of people to post a comment in support of Mr Irwin.

“I want to reassure you that this is not accurate,” she said.

“The DUP have always opposed any barrier to trade between GB and NI and have been on the record repeatedly in relation to that position. Technical legislation was required to ensure British goods from the mainland could continue to be able to be brought into Northern Ireland.”

Ms Pengelly added: “It is no ones interests, particularly not unionist interests, to prevent British goods from elsewhere in the UK from being able to come in to our shops and on to our tables.

“That was what that vote was about, not a vote for an Irish sea border. There is clearly a fundamental misunderstanding here. The fight on the Protocol continues directly with the UK Government and the EU. That fight will not cease.”

READ: Gardeners snagged by farcical Irish Sea border rule

READ: Northern Ireland gardeners lose hundreds of seed varieties due to Irish Sea border

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