Alex Easton MLA had today called on Westminster to ditch the NI protocol.
Speaking today Alex Easton MLA said:
The Northern Ireland protocol which was brought in by the current Westminster Government at Westminster, which we in the DUP voted against, is unacceptable as we now have a border effectively down the Irish Sea which is weakening our position in the United Kingdom causing unnecessary checks for goods coming into Northern Ireland from the rest of the United kingdom and is also bringing some crazy unnecessary rules such as pet travel which now requires that as dog owner we now have to subject our dogs to an unnecessary vaccination for rabies, a disease which is not present in the British Isles. Our dogs will also require a pet passport and tapeworm treatment to return home from the rest of the United Kingdom to Northern Ireland.
These current arrangements were a result of the SDLP, Sinn Fein and Alliance Party all calling on the United Kingdom Government to honor its commitments and ensure the Rigorous implementation of the NI protocol, there intervention and pressure are now effecting us all which we warned them about, this has not turned out to be such smart move by those parties.
These new regulations will adversely affect tourism and business here, along with having a detrimental impact on the various dog shows; other dog events and long standing breed committees here in Northern Ireland who will now struggle to attract exhibitors from the rest of the United Kingdom.
We also have the daft decision that you need to make a declaration if you’re carrying £10,000 pounds or the equivalent in any other currency of cash and traveling to or from a non-EU country, and you need to make a declaration if you’re carrying £10,000 pounds or more of cash and traveling from the rest of the United kingdom to Northern Ireland, it’s just so unnecessary and stupid.
There are also some products that are no longer available in or supermarkets and some online companies are now refusing to send items to Northern Ireland.
It is vital the U.K government revoke these regulations for pet travel and carrying cash urgently between NI and GB.
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