EU Brexit chiefs meet Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson about Border, citizens’ rights and Good Friday Agreement

» Michael McMonagle

‘Issues around Ireland, the Border and citizens’ rights must be addressed and the British Government must accept the need to protect the Good Friday Agreement’ – MEP Martina Anderson

THE KEY PLAYERS in the Brexit negotiations in the EU have been told of the need to secure special status for the North within the EU in order to protect the Good Friday Agreement.

In the last 24 hours, Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson has met with both the EU’s lead Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, and the European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, in Strasbourg.

Martina Anderson made it clear to both that the Brexit agenda being pursued by the Tories in the British Government is incompatible with the Good Friday Agreement.

The Sinn Féin MEP also presented both Barnier and Verhofstadt with copies of the independent legal advice compiled by Doughty Street Chambers

● Martina Anderson MEP with EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier

During her meeting with Michel Barnier, Martina Anderson reminded him of his responsibility to protect the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts during the ongoing Brexit negotiations.

“I made it clear to him that, despite the rhetoric of the British Government on the Good Friday Agreement, their actions tell a different story, particularly now that they are being propped by the DUP – a party that has never supported the Good Friday Agreement.

“I also made it clear to him that if sufficient progress is to be made to allow the Brexit negotiations to move on to the next stage then the issues around Ireland, the Border and citizens’ rights must be addressed and the British Government must accept the need to protect the Good Friday Agreement.

“He assured me that he will not to do anything to undermine the Good Friday Agreement and said work is underway to establish a regulatory framework on areas of North/South co-operation,” she said.

Martina Anderson also said she told Guy Verhofstadt that the European Parliament needs to ensure the issues around Ireland are addressed.

“I expressed my concern that the EU needs to retain its focus on Ireland and ensure that our concerns and issues around citizens’ rights need to be resolved for sufficient progress to have been made.”