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TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has said that Ireland will not participate in any British plans to solve the post-Brexit border issue.
He was responding to reported proposals to move the border to the Irish Sea.
Speaking to journalists today, Varadkar said that he and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney were “on the same page” on the issue.
Varadkar said that it was up to the UK to put forward solutions for the handling of the border between north and south in a post-Brexit world.
“Currently there is no economic border. There hasn’t been an economic border since 1992. As far as this government is concerned there shouldn’t be an economic border. We don’t want one,” he said.
“It’s the United Kingdom, it’s Britain that has decided to leave and if they want to put forward smart solutions, technological solutions for borders of the future and all of that that’s up to them.
“We’re not going to be doing that work for them because we don’t think there should be an economic border at all. That is our position. It’s our position in negotiations with the British Government and it’s the very clear position that we have when we engage with the task force that is negotiating on our behalf with the United Kingdom.”
Varadkar went on to say that the government’s position is that there should be no border, so it will not help in designing one.
We do not think it is in the interests of our country. We do not think it’s in the interests of Northern Ireland or the United Kingdom that there should be an economic border between our two countries or on our island and we’re not going to be helping them to design some sort of border that we don’t believe should exist in the first place.
“So let them put forward their proposals as to how they think a border should operate and then we’ll ask them if they really think this is such a good idea because I think it will have a very severe impact on their economy if they decide to go down that route.”
DUP MP Ian Paisley Jr said that Varadkar’s stance was “cutting off his nose to spite his face”.
Fianna Fáil’s Stephen Donnelly backed the Taoiseach, saying that his party has been calling for this solution.
“The solution which Minister Coveney, and now the Taoiseach, has outlined is something which Fianna Fáil has been calling for some time. In February, I along with Micheál Martin and Darragh O’Brien met with the Northern Secretary James Brokenshire and outlined to him that a frictionless border simply wouldn’t work and the border between Ireland and the UK should be the Irish Sea.
“It is important that we have an honest conversation with our UK neighbours, and despite coming late to the table on this issue, I am relieved that the Government now appears willing to start that conversation.”
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Wishing her a speedy recovery.
@Mjhint: who cares
@frank griffin: clearly you took the time to comment. You become a prisoner of your own actions.
@Mjhint: Lota of brits on here today it seems.
@frank griffin: wow what a arrogant comment.
The woman is 95 years old FFS.
Nothing good to say, don’t say it all.
Just childish behaviour
@Billy McNamara: no doubt. There’s nearly 800k of them in the North of the country and I’m guessing a few more in the Republic.
@alan scott: she oversees an army that has committed atrocities around the works & especially here in IRELAND for Queen & Country
@alan scott: billionaire how never earned a penny of it
@frank griffin: bit like yourself mate.
@Eire: she doesn’t oversee anything,
What about the IRA eh?
Why comment on a article about a person who you hate?
Your a troll, and a bad one at that.
@frank griffin: She personally owns virtually NONE of it.
Well I’m sorry to hear that she has the virus, it’s a worry at any age but more so in a lady of her vintage especially since she has been unwell lately, hope she makes a good recovery. My own neighbour in her fifties got the virus at Christmas, no underlying issues but sadly died three weeks ago, so folks do take care, we are not out of the woods yet.
@Honeybee: ahh.so sad.
Yes it’s not over yet. Take care all
@Honeybee: The most sensible comment so far. It’s a pretty dangerous disease for a 95 year old, no matter who they are.
We should gift her a flat bottle of 7-Up.
@LaoisWeather: lucozade
@James Lough: Mrs O Brien 2 doors up from my mam’s also got tested positive yesterday ffs
@Bernard Connolly: you ok hun
@James Lough: Liz’sade.
@Bernard Connolly: yeah but she’s not the queen though.
“Continues light duties…” Wonder what her heavy duties are.
@Matt Joe Caulfield: dealing with Andrew
@David: And Harry & Meghan.She has a lot on her silver platter.
What does Vogue think?
was it Charles who gave it to her, he’s keen to be king maybe
God save the Queen!
@Shane Collins: no
Articles like this shows up people in thier true colours.
“The week he had the disease.” Are we calling it a disease now, Journal?
@Dublin – Overheard: WHO calls it a disease.
@Dublin – Overheard: COVID 19 = COronaVIrus Disease 2019
They’ve been calling it a disease for over 2 years now.
@Dublin – Overheard: So you don’t know what a disease is? Probably best to not comment on matters of medical matters then.
I hope she has good health insurance.
Mayo for Sam.
Feel better soon.
@Scott Coulter: was that for the queen of England? I don’t know if one will read it in the comment section of a journal.ie article
I blame Andrew , he was up at the palace every day last week .
Light duties ??
@Marg FitzGerald: Yeah, like opening her chequebook for the son.
Must be a tough time for her.
I note she’s on LD, not ED or MD.
@Gavin Tobin: Milk & Dougnuts
The 78 toilets in the palace will be in some state if she can only do light cleaning duties. Wishing her well though.
Shure I have to say it…. Does she wamt a medal??? Sorry. I do like her
Just the washing up and some light dusting allowed.
have your say