Protocol leaves big livestock and milk cross-border trade unaffected by Brexit

Simple majority  in the Northern Ireland assembly needed after four years to continue Protocol

DUP leader Arlene Foster, with party colleague Edwin Poots, Northern Ireland’s agriculture minister. The DEP opposed the Northern Ireland Protocol, but Poots has said it is now the law and his role is to try to mitigate its impact. The Protocol provides for frictionless cross-border trade.

Farmers have welcomed confirmation that the important live export trade to Northern Ireland for slaughter cattle will continue.

IFA president Tim Cullinan said the NI market provides vital competition for Irish beef farmers with finished cattle, and has performed very strongly this year.