Staff threatened at NI border: food checks suspended
Larne and Belfast ports have suspended checks on animal-based food products due to concerns over staff safety.
The Department of Agriculture has suspended checks on animal-based food products at the Northern Irish border after several inspection staff were threatened, reports the BBC. The move was made in response to Mid and East Antrim Council’s decision to withdraw staff at Larne Port over safety concerns.
Mayor of Larne, Peter Johnston of the DUP, said growing tension over the NI Protocol had led to “menacing behaviour”. The Police Service of Northern Ireland is due to meet Mid and East Antrim Council and officials from Stormont’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) on Tuesday to discuss the problem.
In a statement, Daera said: “On the basis of information received today and, pending further discussions with the PSNI, Daera has decided in the interests of the wellbeing of staff to temporarily suspend physical inspections of products of animal origin at Larne and Belfast… The situation will be kept under review and in the meantime full documentary checks will continue to be carried out as usual.”
