Justice and security arrangements including sensitive areas such as family law could be affected by any failure to secure a post-Brexit agreement.

Martina Anderson, Sinn Féin MLA for Foyle, told the Stormont justice committee that Brexit “has the potential to have an extremely damaging impact on the courts and justice system here in the North”.

She added: “It is appalling that this has been forced on us against our will by a Brexit agenda that is opposed by the majority of citizens here.

“Nevertheless there is an onus on the Department of Justice to provide clarity about how legal services will continue to function and what impact a failure by the British Government to agree a new deal will have on the justice system here in the north.

“I also call on the Justice Minister and department to outline what kind of assessment has been undertaken and what mitigation measures are in place to deal with the potential fall out of the Brexit mess.”

Justice Minister Naomi Long will appear before the committee next week.