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Brexit: NI ministers meet David Davis in London Brexit: SF accuse govt of treating ministerial council as 'talking shop'
(about 1 hour later)
Northern Ireland infrastructure minister Chris Hazzard of Sinn Féin and DUP junior minister Alastair Ross have met with the Brexit Secretary David Davis in London. Sinn Féin is threatening to pull out of the Joint Ministerial Council over concerns about negotiations for the UK to leave the EU.
They were joined by ministers from Scotland and Wales. The party's Infrastructure Minister, Chris Hazzard, and his colleague, John O'Dowd, are in London for a meeting with Brexit Secretary David Davis.
At the meeting, Mr Hazzard said Northern Ireland needed a "special designated status" within the EU. The DUP's Junior Minister Alistair Ross is also attending.
Sinn Féin has accused the government of treating the council as a "talking shop".
'Utter disdain'
"By making her so-called keynote speech on Brexit... this week two days ahead of the Joint Ministerial Council, British Prime Minister Theresa May treated the council with utter disdain," John O'Dowd said.
"That was a clear act of bad faith... it is clear she is intent on ignoring the will of the majority of people in the north who voted to remain in the EU.
"It has got to the stage where the Joint Ministerial Council is being treated as a talking shop by the British government and we will be reassessing our involvement with it."
The DUP see the council as a useful forum to air their concerns.
The DUP and Sinn Féin were joined at the council meeting by ministers from Scotland and Wales.
At the talks on Thursday morning, Mr Hazzard said Northern Ireland needed a "special designated status" within the EU.
Mrs May has said Brexit means leaving the European Customs Union.Mrs May has said Brexit means leaving the European Customs Union.
It currently allows tariff and paperwork-free trade between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.It currently allows tariff and paperwork-free trade between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
On Wednesday, former Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) John Bruton said Mrs May's plan for a post-Brexit customs deal will be "unworkable".On Wednesday, former Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) John Bruton said Mrs May's plan for a post-Brexit customs deal will be "unworkable".
Sinn Féin has said exiting the European Customs Union creates a "hard border on the island of Ireland".Sinn Féin has said exiting the European Customs Union creates a "hard border on the island of Ireland".
Martin McGuiness, the former deputy first minister, said: "A border of the future is coming at us."Martin McGuiness, the former deputy first minister, said: "A border of the future is coming at us."
DUP MP Sammy Wilson said the prime minister's statement would give the business community "more certainty".DUP MP Sammy Wilson said the prime minister's statement would give the business community "more certainty".
Mr Bruton said Mrs May was "remarkably unclear about the sort of relationship she wants with the EU Customs Union".Mr Bruton said Mrs May was "remarkably unclear about the sort of relationship she wants with the EU Customs Union".
He said what Mrs May had laid out would run into difficulties with the World Trade OrganisationHe said what Mrs May had laid out would run into difficulties with the World Trade Organisation
Earlier on Wednesday, Brexit Secretary David Davis said the UK leaving the EU would result in difficulties over border controls on the island of Ireland, but that any problems could be solved.Earlier on Wednesday, Brexit Secretary David Davis said the UK leaving the EU would result in difficulties over border controls on the island of Ireland, but that any problems could be solved.
What is a customs union and why does it matter?What is a customs union and why does it matter?
A customs union is a form of trade agreement between two or more countries.A customs union is a form of trade agreement between two or more countries.
It means they decide not to impose tariffs (taxes on imports) on each other's goods and agree to impose common external tariffs on goods from countries outside their customs union.It means they decide not to impose tariffs (taxes on imports) on each other's goods and agree to impose common external tariffs on goods from countries outside their customs union.
Setting common external tariffs is what distinguishes a customs union from a free trade area.Setting common external tariffs is what distinguishes a customs union from a free trade area.
The key argument for leaving the customs union is that it will allow the UK to negotiate its own trade agreements.The key argument for leaving the customs union is that it will allow the UK to negotiate its own trade agreements.
Read more here.Read more here.
On Tuesday, Mrs May said membership of the customs union prevented the UK "from negotiating our own comprehensive trade deals".
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Irish government said that while the prime minister's comments may be seen as a warning of a "hard Brexit", Dublin had been preparing for all possible models of future UK-EU relations.