An internal EU memo emanating from European Commission president Jean Claude Juncker’s office has suggested an island-of-Ireland agriculture policy post-Brexit.

This would allow animals and meat, dairy and crops to move freely between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It would involve Northern Ireland putting controls in place with the rest of the UK.

Unionist politicians are opposed.

Speaking this week in the European Parliament, Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson said Northern Ireland entered the then EEC as part of the UK and will leave as part of the UK.

Speaking in the same debate, Diane Dodds, Democratic Unionist MEP, said the Northern Ireland Brexit solution will be part of the UK Brexit solution and there will be no deal that erects barriers within the UK single market.

There was no mention for Irish access to the wider UK market in the memo.

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