Impossible to impose impose ‘full-blown customs controls’ between Coshquin and Bridgend

She described the border as ‘the most porous in the world’.

Ahead of a majority vote on the continuation of articles 5 to 10 of the protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland to the EU withdrawal agreement, the Foyle MLA was asked about the border by her party colleague Matthew O’Toole.

"On the subject of opportunities for Derry and the north-west region, will the Member acknowledge that some of the Members opposite talk about the fantasy idea of mutual enforcement?

"They may want to go back to a period when members of the Shared Prosperity Commission went to the north-west region. They — some of the hardest Brexiteers around — acknowledged that full customs controls and a hard border, which is the inevitable consequence of a hard Brexit, could not be imposed on the north-west. Full-blown customs controls could not be imposed between Coshquin and Bridgend.

“That would have been madness, but there is now a real opportunity for the north-west to be at the meeting point of those two markets,” he said.

Ms. McLaughlin replied: “Absolutely. It is the most porous border in Europe. It would be impossible to contemplate anything resembling a hard border. Again, we are talking about spilt milk at this stage.

"It is done. The deal is done, and we now need to make it work for everyone. Thank goodness that we have open borders on our island.”