Northern Ireland should push the EU to grant it special associate or even membership status to avoid the “devastating” consequences of Brexit for Irish people, Martin McGuinness has said. The deputy first minister and Sinn Féin leader told the Guardian that leaders in Belfast and Dublin needed to work together to make the case for special rules to apply to Northern Ireland. Facebook Twitter Pinterest John Hume, left, of the SDLP and the Reverend Ian Paisley of the DUP argue after the results of the Northern Ireland referendum in May 1998. Photograph: Max Nash/APMcGuinness added it was yet to be explored whether an outcome could be constructed that allowed Northern Ireland in Europe, or gave it special access to EU markets. It would be a devastating blow.” Moreover, some 37% of Northern Ireland’s exports, worth £3.6bn, go to Ireland.

Source: The Guardian October 16, 2016 16:45 UTC