29/03/2017 BBC Newsline

Brexit must not harm the peace process or the UK's unique

Theresa May's words in her letter triggering

The Prime Minister promised extra powers for the devolved governments

but didn't spell out exactly how the border would operate.

We are very clear, both I, and I have talked to the government in the

Republic, we are clear that we don't want to see a return to the borders

of the past. And we are working very closely with the Irish government

about the arrangements that can be put in place to ensure a

frictionless border for goods and services, and people travelling

between Northern Ireland to the Republic.

The Prime Minister's triggering of Article 50

has been praised by the DUP, who said it was

But many others fear for future relations between the two parts

of Ireland and the free movement of people and goods.

Here's our political correspondent, Enda McClafferty.

It was an announcement they knew was coming but didn't want to hear. The

Prime Minister's words will have been welcomed by many at

Westminster, but not at Stormont today. The effect this is going to

have on the local community is massive. We are trying to send a

message to the British that it is not good for the people of the

North. We want some sort of free border that people can travel, north

to south, without checkpoints or whatever. Brexit will curtail it and

that is a disaster. Today, the Prime Minister pledged there would be no

return to the borders of the past. And she said Stormont had nothing to

fear from Brexit. No decision is currently taken by the devolved

administrations and will not be removed from them. Is the devolved

administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will see a

significant increase in their decision-making power as a result of

this process. And she put that in writing in the letter to the

president of the European Council Donald Tusk which triggered Article

50, saying they wanted to avoid a return to a hardboard...

And her words drew a warm response from Unionists. We on this bench are

sure she is the right leader of this country for these challenges. And

can I also commend her for putting in Article five of the principles

set out in her letter, Northern Ireland, the racial ship with the

Irish were, and can I commend her in the way that has been put forward.

Back at Stormont, Republicans and Nationalists had a different message

for the Prime Minister. This will be the biggest economic catastrophe

since partition. We want to protect his Mrs and communities here. I know

we will get a fair hearing in Dublin, but can we get a fair

hearing in London? This will be detrimental to the people on the

island of Ireland. We need the parties to stand together. We need

to get special status for the Isle of Ireland, has clearly, we have

unique circumstances that need recognition. The secretary of state

had his own border mission today. We want to see an ambitious free trade

agreement with the European Union, barrier free, tariff free, and

recognising how that benefits both the UK and the EU, too. These people

here today will be hoping that at least they may be able to shape the

negotiations to ensure their life won't change post-Brexit.

Well, some reassurance for those who have concerns was offered today

by the European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator.

Guy Verhofstadt said the parliament recognised that Brexit posed

a special threat to Northern Ireland and the Republic.

We are very clear, the Brexit agreement needs to fully respect the

Good Friday Agreement in all its aspects, and that means also that we

will never accept a hard border again tween Northern Ireland and the

Irish Republic. Northern Ireland's biggest export

market is the Republic. And many businesses have voiced

concern over what might happen with the border

and customs arrangements. Some are also focussing

on the potential new trade that could be secured outside

the European Union. Our Business Correspondent

Julian O'Neill has more. The stakes are high for exporters,

the EU and the republic especially our big markets, and many firms hope

new arrangements will not damage business. Once free from the EU,

Britain will pursue trade deals independently. This company that

makes construction machinery has dealers in the likes of Singapore

and seize opportunities. The growth of the world is in Asia and North

America. Europe hasn't grown in ten years. I think focusing more on the

growth areas of the world for our business will give us better

opportunities. It has been said today marks the point of no return,

and the government will seek to strike a new trade deal with the EU

by the time Brexit happens in two years' time. But there are anxieties

among the many larger scale local businesses. Ultimately, there is

concern about the risk of tariffs, disruption to supply chains, and

uncertainty around European workers. Local trade unions were almost

unanimous in opposing Brexit, and taking stock today, are worried

about the prospects of a good deal. 85,000 workers were on the

Manufacturing sector, and their exports go to the EU. Can anybody

tell us if we have the hard Brexit that is proposed that some of those

jobs would be affected? It is a fallacy to suggest it will be all

right on the night. But no one knows what's to come. It was business as

usual here after the referendum, and so it will be until March, 2019.

Between now and then, negotiators potentially hold the fortunes of

firms like this in their hands. The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny,

said he took some encouragement from what Theresa May had said

in her letter to the president This will not be easy. It will be

very challenging and very corrugated. We have set out our

priorities and main objectives. I am glad to see these are refunded in

the letter from the Prime Minister to the European Council, including

the special relationship with Britain, the preservation of the

peace process, the protection of the Good Friday Agreement, and no return

to the hardboard. And from Britain's perspective, they do not wish to do

any harm to island and its opportunities for the future.

Well I spoke earlier to our political editor,

Mark Devenport, and to our economics and business editor, John Campbell.

I first asked Mark for his thoughts on the messages coming

They have this emotional attachment to the peace process, they do not

want anything to disrupt that. And the Irish were is a loyal member of

the European Union, so they don't want to punish one of their own.

That is a factor they will take into account, not just with agriculture,

but across a broader range of concerns. And we still don't have

any idea how the border is going to work, it seems to go on and on. No

return to the borders of the past, and all the main players, they are

on the same page. They don't want a return to customs post. We have been

there and we know there are customs posts in Norway and Sweden. Whatever

is proposed, it must be more seamless than what happens on that

border. They talk about technology, using administrative arrangements to

manage the border. But they will need to be a realisation that there

won't be a a return to a hardboard. Other news now, and a helicopter

with five people on board has gone The privately-owned aircraft

is believed to have left Milton Keynes to fly to Dublin

and radar contact was A search is being carried out

in the Caernarfon Bay Five years after it was due to open

most of the new Critical Care building at the Royal Victoria

Hospital in Belfast remains closed. The development cost

?150 million and the BBC understands that millions

of additional funding is required to bring the 12 storey

building up to standard. The first two floors house

the Emergency department. Here's our Health Correspondent

Marie-Louise Connolly. From the outside, this 12 story

building looks like it's business as usual. Inside, it is a different

story. While it was due to open in 2012, work continues to get this

entire building up to standard and fit for purpose. Work that involves

new contract is. Five years on and corridors, theatres and rooms, which

should be bustling with patients and staff instead are empty. Serious

building problems have meant that this state-of-the-art hospital has

remained a building site. While it all started with corroded pipes,

multiple problems followed, including plumbing, waste and

electrical systems. According to health unions, it has taken so long

for the building to open, most have forgotten it even exists. 150

million has been put in. The patient are losing out on this. Our members

will be asking questions as to how this situation has allowed to

develop. In a statement, the Belfast trust said:

But not all of the buildings affected. The new emergency

department opened on the first two floors on 2013 to cope with winter

pressures. But legal proceedings between various contractors and the

trust have dominated throughout most of the build, with the source

describing litigation as acrimonious. We are talking about

transforming health, and yet, we have ?150 million that has simply do

nothing, costing us more money to replace parts of this building, and

not been brought into public use. So clearly, we need to know who is

responsible, and we need to get a grip. Things can go wrong. We accept

that. But they need to be fixed quickly. Since 2012, senior

officials in the Department of Health, including health ministers,

and those in the Belfast health trust, have been kept informed. A

new deadline for the opening of the rest of the building is now the end

of the year. Rain overnight, but cloud coming

with the rain meaning a mild night. Temperatures staying in double

figures tonight. It sets us up for a good day on Thursday. In the main,

staying dry, but a risk of rain across the eastern half of Northern

Ireland, and that is the influence of a weather system sitting further

out to the east. As we go through the day, cloud cover. In the

afternoon, a few gaps punched by sunshine. Temperatures on the right

to 14 or 15. Here is the weather front I was talking about. Sitting

where it was Saturday. The areas that have seen rain today will see

rain tomorrow, but maybe not as much. Temperatures ahead of the

front, the South East could see the warmest day of the year so far. For

us, shower was popping up, but a front kinking towards us with long

periods of rain overnight. Friday will start damp, but behind that,

cooler and fresher, brighter conditions. At the weekend, things

will improve, although feeling fresher in the cooler air. We have

this area of high pressure to thank for the settled weather over the

weekend. It is building in and protecting us from the Atlantic

weather systems. We pay the price with the temperatures, nudging down

as we get into the weekend. Our next BBC Newsline is

at 6:25 in the morning You can also keep updated

with news online. Goodnight.