Sinn Fein councillor Paul Fleming
SINN Féin Group leader on Derry City and Strabane District Council Councillor Paul Fleming is to bring forward a motion to the monthly council meeting today calling on the council to write to each Head of Government of the EU 27, including the Taoiseach, on behalf of the people of this border Council area who will be drastically affected by any hard border as a result of Brexit.
Councillor Fleming said: “Given the crucial EU Council meeting on 14th/15th December, its important that the Council calls on the twenty seven EU countries involved in Brexit negotiations to ensure that the British Government proposals on Brexit leads to no hardening of Britain’s border in Ireland, that the Good Friday Agreement is protected in all of its parts and that there is no regression in the rights of the people of this Council region.
“The best way to do this would be through Designated Special status for the north of Ireland within the EU.
“Our motion calls on the EU 27 to hold to this position and if the British Government do not deliver on these issues then sufficient progress will not have been met and the negotiations cannot move on to the future relations between the EU and British Government.
“And that the council writes to each Head of Government of the EU 27, including the Taoiseach, on behalf of the people of this border Council area who will be drastically affected by any hard border as a result of Brexit.”
He added: “The British Government must commit to avoiding a hard border, protecting the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts, while ensuring that the rules of the single market and customs union are met.
“The only way to do this is for the North of Ireland to be afforded designated special status within the European Union.
“The North must remain within the single market and customs union.
“The Irish Government must not waver or deviate from this position in the Brexit negotiations.
“They need to stand up for Ireland’s interests, the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement.”
