OFMDFM 'United In Determination' Over Brexit Negotiations

The Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) has said it is "united in determination to achieve the best possible outcome for all our people" during Brexit negotiations.

First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have written a letter to the Prime Minister, Theresa May, setting out the Executive's initial assessment following the EU referendum result.

It is understood the letter identifies a number of "key issues of particular significance" for Northern Ireland.

In a statement following the announcement of the co-signed letter, the Ministers said: "The Prime Minister has said we will be fully involved and represented in the negotiations on the terms of our future relationships with the EU and other countries.

"The letter to the Prime Minister sets out our initial assessment and thoughts and we look forward to further engagement on these matters which are of particular significance."

However, Alliance Economy spokesperson Stephen Farry MLA said other matters which should have been discussed in the response were not.

He said: "It is disappointing how slow the First Minister and deputy First Minister were to give even a brief response to the Prime Minister around Brexit. But more concerning is significant issues impacting on Northern Ireland have not been explicitly raised. I fear this continues to be the lowest common denominator of agreement from a divided Executive.

"There should be a clear call to the UK Government to confirm existing EU nationals will have the right to remain indefinitely. This will reassure many employers and organisations, and give comfort to individuals and families in fear from the current uncertainty.

"There is no reference at all to the impact of Brexit on our universities, which have a greater proportionate reliance on EU research funding than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK. Our Executive should be demanding a clear statement from the Government that the UK will remain within the European Research framework.

"While the impact of lost EU funding is referenced in this letter, there is no enquiry about when and how what will be lost will be replaced. This is particularly acute in terms of financial support for agriculture.

"Perhaps most crucially, the letter remains vague and indeed points to implied differences and contradictions around the key issues of the nature of access or participation in the Single Market and freedom of movement, which is extremely worrying."

Green Party leader Steven Agnew MLA has said he is "astonished" Arlene Foster outlined many reasons why his party campaigned to remain in the UK.

He said: "It is a shame that the leave campaign wasn't honest about the 'dangers' of leaving for Northern Ireland

"An 'initial assessment' of significant issues would have been more helpful before the referendum so that voters could have made an informed choice.

"As it was, Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU and we are having to deal with the consequences of that.

"That the First Minister is trying to retain benefits that being a member of the EU brought, despite having been a vocal lead campaigner, is nothing short of hypocrisy."

(MH/JP)