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Micheál Martin has insisted that there is no danger of a border returning to the island of Ireland, despite the high risk of a no-trade Brexit.
Speaking exclusively to Ahead of today’s cabinet meeting, where his government will pass its so-called doomsday Brexit memorandum on how the country will respond to a no-deal on January 1, the Taoiseach said it is concerned that a no-deal has yet to be reached. agreement.
Mr Martin was responding to reports suggesting that Downing St is about to introduce legislation that would nullify the Withdrawal Agreement and undermine the Northern Ireland protocol.
While Leo Varadkar described the leak as “saber rattling”, Mr. Martin said he is “concerned about the delay on the issue” in terms of the lack of resolution in the talks.
“The Withdrawal Agreement is an international treaty and we expect the UK Government to implement and abide by what was agreed. We trust that they will do so or they will invalidate the process of talks, ”he said.
The Taoiseach made it clear that Downing Street assured him that they are committed to implementing the protocol and not undermining the Good Friday Agreement.
“They issued a statement that they would fully implement the protocol. We are aware that the negotiations are intensifying and stories like this will be part of that negotiation process, ”he said.
The Taoiseach said there is the possibility of “different interpretations” of where political positions really lie, but said it is slow to overreact.
“In terms of different interpretations, we don’t want to jump into that,” he said.
“We are aware of what is happening here, but I want to make it very clear that any international agreement must be respected,” he added.
“The landscape will change completely on January 1 for companies. My advice is to follow the government’s guidance to make sure you are up to date with the regulations for what you will need on January 1, ”he said.
When asked if there was any danger of a border returning to the island of Ireland given the disturbing noises from Downing Street, the Taoiseach said emphatically: “Absolutely not.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said his government was proposing “limited clarifications” to the law to ensure that ministers can preserve the achievements of the Good Friday Agreement in the event that no deal is reached.
Its spokesperson said discussions are continuing with the EU to resolve outstanding issues related to the Northern Ireland protocol, which aims to ensure there is no return from a hard border with the Republic once the transition is complete.
He said the legislative changes were a necessary “safety net” in case they could not reach an agreement.
In Dublin, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney will present the final Brexit readiness memorandum to Cabinet today.
This is an intergovernmental plan involving various departments to prepare the country for the end of the transition period and a new way of trading with the UK.
The plan outlines two possible scenarios later this year:
- A limited Free Trade Agreement (including fishing) that Michel Barnier is trying to negotiate … or
- A Brexit without a trade agreement with the EU and the United Kingdom negotiating in terms of the WTO, including tariffs and quotas, starting next January 1.
According to the sources, the language of the plans is harsh in the sense that any of the results will imply a fundamental change for any company that markets goods “to, from or through” the UK.
Brussels issued a stern warning to the reports.
“Full implementation of the withdrawal agreement and in particular the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland are essential,” said a spokesman for the European Commission.
“These are legal obligations under international law, this is a question of trust, this is a prerequisite, a precondition for negotiations on the future association. I think it’s clear and I don’t think we need to say anything more. “
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