Brexit: Council chief recalled by committee over NI Protocol letter

A council chief executive is to be recalled by a Stormont committee after a letter she sent to the Cabinet Office about the NI Protocol was leaked.

There have been calls for Anne Donaghy of Mid and East Antrim Council to resign following a testimony she gave at the committee on Thursday.

It emerged she wrote to the UK Cabinet Office outlining alleged threats to council staff working at Larne port.

She also expressing wider concerns about the operation of the protocol.

Ms Donaghy was involved in the decision to withdraw Brexit checks staff from Larne port in February.

On Thursday, she told the assembly's Agriculture and Environment committee she had written the letter in her role as Northern Ireland representative of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (Solace).

But in the letter, first reported by Belfast Live, on council headed notepaper and leaked earlier on Friday, she said she had been advised by several DUP MPs to write with her concerns about the workings of new Irish Sea border checks.

The letter did not contain any reference to the Solace grouping.

• Why are there Brexit checks in Northern Ireland?

• Why were Northern Ireland port checks suspended?

Sinn Féin said that appeared to contradict her evidence and if accurate meant her position was "untenable". The SDLP also said she should consider her position.

The communication was not among more than 50 pages of information provided by Mid and East Antrim Council to the AERA committee which is holding an inquiry into the withdrawal of port staff.

Ms Donaghy said it was not in the bundle because it was not relevant and had not formed part of the council decision to temporarily suspend checks.

Larne Mayor Peter Johnston and Anne Donaghy appeared remotely before the committee on Thursday

Twelve council environmental health officers were stood down following threatening graffiti and allegations of intimidation, including the recording of car registrations at the port.

Staff working for the Agriculture Department were also withdrawn from some Brexit duties at the ports after the minister flagged concerns about safety.

In her letter, Ms Donaghy said she was "aware of the involvement of paramilitary groups" which she had raised with the PSNI.

The police advice was that there was no credible threat and nothing to substantiate loyalist paramilitary involvement.

All the workers returned days later after the PSNI provided a written threat assessment.

Sinn Féin and the SDLP said Ms Donaghy's action appeared to have been at the behest of one political party and her position had been called into question.

The letter to the cabinet office was dated 30 January, two days before the council took the decision to pull its staff out.

The committee was told on Thursday that it was not sent until 3 February, two days after their withdrawal.

The DUP said Ms Donaghy had contacted some of its MPs about concerns related to the protocol and charging policy at the port.

It said they had suggested "in line with normal parliamentary protocol" that she write to the government.

Why is the Northern Ireland Protocol controversial?

The protocol is the part of the Brexit deal which created the Irish Sea border.

The sea border means that checks must apply to goods travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

It is opposed by Northern Ireland's unionist parties who have said it undermines their place in the UK.

Under the terms of the Brexit withdrawal treaty, the protocol can only be removed by a majority vote of the Stormont Assembly, with a vote due in 2024.

Why were staff withdrawn from Larne port?

Stormont's Agriculture Committee is examining the decision to withdraw staff from Larne ports on 1 February when workers were stood down after the appearance of threatening graffiti the previous month.

There were also allegations of the number plates of staff vehicles being recorded and negative social media commentary.

Police later said there was nothing to substantiate loyalist paramilitary involvement and no evidence of "credible threats" to staff.

The 12 council staff returned to work following a written threat assessment provided by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Staff working for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera), which stopped doing physical checks at the ports at the same time, also resumed duties.