He said he respects Micheál Martin though.
The new leader of the DUP has lashed out at Leo Varadkar, Simon Coveney and Fine Gael, and said the relationship with the Irish Government is “really, really bad”.
Speaking after his ratification as DUP leader on Thursday night, Poots warned that Varadkar, Coveney and their party would “starve” Northern Ireland of food and medicines.
Poots said he had not made contact with the Irish Government but said he would do so now he is the official leader of the party.
His coronation was not the smooth affair he may have hoped for as outgoing leader Arlene Foster left before Poots took to the stand to make his inaugural speech as leader.
She was not the only one, as other senior figures, including Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Gavin Robinson, Diane Dodds and Gregory Campbell, left before Poots’ speech.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday night, Poots said he was heavily critical of Varadkar, Coveney, Fine Gael and, indeed, the Irish Government in general.
Poots said they “took photographs of blown up border posts to impose upon Northern Ireland people a harshest form of customs, and an internal market that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world”.
He said it was “quite frankly, disgraceful”.
He added: “They’re going to starve Northern Ireland people of medicines, no less, cancer drugs and other materials such as the food that’s on our table.
“And I’d say that’s a shame on the Irish Government that they done that. And that belongs to Fine Gael under the leadership of Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney. So relationships are really, really bad with the Irish Government as a consequence.”
Poots will remain as agriculture minister and has opted not to take on the role of first minister.
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