DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said he stands by his claim that life-saving heart surgery was delayed because of Brexit's Northern Ireland Protocol.
Sir Jeffrey had said patients in a Belfast hospital had to wait three weeks for surgery because the Irish Sea trade deal meant equipment had to be sourced from outside the UK.
But the Lagan Valley MP faced questions after the Belfast Trust last week said there was "no substance" to his allegation.
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Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Sir Jeffrey said the problem arose in the Southern Trust and led to patients being added to a waiting list in the Belfast Trust.
The Southern Trust later confirmed there had been disruption in August to cardiac services, but it did not say this related to the Protocol.
It said efforts were made to source parts "in both the Republic of Ireland and the UK but unfortunately given the size of the equipment required, it had to be sourced from the manufacturing site in Germany".
Defending his comments, Sir Jeffrey stressed that the Protocol is "causing problems" in the health service.
He told reporters: "The problem arose in the Southern Trust, and I have had that verified by senior sources from within the medical profession.
"And therefore there was a delay, and as a result the Southern Trust had to make alternative arrangements which meant patients awaiting cardiac surgery were added to the list of patients in the Belfast Trust, which meant further delay for those patients waiting on that vital treatment.
"So I stand by what I said. I have never resiled from it. Unfortunately some people are not prepared to look beyond the headline, are not prepared to ask the questions."
In a statement, the Southern Health and Social Care Trust said: "In early August, we experienced some difficulties with our cardiac catheterisation service related to significant faults with the transfer of images and cabling fractures in our cath lab.
"Extensive efforts were made to source replacement parts in both the Republic of Ireland and the UK but unfortunately given the size of the equipment required, it had to be sourced from the manufacturing site in Germany.
"The replacement cabling was shipped from Germany and the work was able to be completed on Friday 18 August. Following checks we were able to recommence the cath lab lists.
"Given that the service would be suspended for a period of time, we liaised with colleagues in the Belfast Trust to facilitate the transfer of 20 patients to have their procedures completed.
"There have been no further issues with the equipment since the cabling was replaced."
Asked if the disruption had anything to do with Protocol as was claimed, a trust spokesman added: "The equipment required was located at the manufacturing site in Germany and the delay was the time it took to get it shipped to NI."
Sir Jeffrey had faced criticism from rival parties over his comments last Friday to BBC's Good Morning Ulster.
The MP told the programme that the Protocol is "harming our ability to access medicines and equipment".
He added: "That meant that for three weeks in a cardiac unit in one of our large acute hospitals in Belfast, people who were waiting on life-saving heart surgery had to wait three weeks because the equipment had to be sourced from another country because we couldn't get it from our own country because of the protocol."
Speaking on UTV's View from Stormont on Monday night, Sinn Fein MLA John O'Dowd described the DUP leader's claims as "complete nonsense".
The DUP has been blocking the restoration of Stormont power-sharing in protest against the Protocol, which has created new trade barriers between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
It has said it will not resume power-sharing until decisive action is taken to address unionist concerns over the post-Brexit arrangements.
The UK Government has vowed to secure changes to the Protocol, either by a negotiated compromise with the EU or through proposed domestic legislation.
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