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Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s deputy leader has voiced her opposition to a Stormont veto on the Irish backstop.<\/p>\nSinn F\u00e9in\u2019s deputy leader has voiced her opposition to a Stormont veto on the Irish backstop.<\/p>\n
Michelle O\u2019Neill said her party does not support such a veto because \u201ca backstop that can be vetoed is not a backstop\u201d.<\/p>\n
It comes after reports that the DUP might endorse the contingency plan aimed at preventing a hard border if the devolved institutions would have a veto on future EU rules applying in the region.<\/p>\n
The backstop proposes preventing a hard border in Ireland by keeping the UK closely aligned to Brussels\u2019 rules.<\/p>\n
The devolved government in Northern Ireland remains collapsed following a breakdown in relations between the DUP and Sinn F\u00e9in in January 2017.<\/p>\n
Despite multiple rounds of talks, agreement has not be found to restore the Assembly and Executive at Stormont.<\/p>\n
Earlier, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said: \u201cIt is up to the UK government to ensure the support of the Northern Irish institutions for the Withdrawal Agreement that would be signed on behalf of the whole of the UK.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last month, the pro-remain parties in Northern Ireland, including Sinn F\u00e9in, sent a joint letter to European Council president Donald Tusk confirming their support for the backstop.<\/p>\n
Speaking at an event in Belfast on Wednesday, Ms O\u2019Neill described the backstop as a \u201cno brainer if we are to build a prosperous economy\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cSinn F\u00e9in do not support a Stormont veto because a backstop that can be vetoed is not a backstop,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is highly unlikely that the EU would either, and we\u2019ve heard further evidence of this over the past day or so from Guy Verhofstadt, Michel Barnier and Jean Claude Junker \u2013 why? \u2013 because the Article 50 negotiation is between the EU27 and the British Government, not the Assembly and the EU.\u201d<\/p>\n