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TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR said there is “enormous hostility” towards the UK from EU members over the prospect of any future extensions to Brexit.
The comments come following a meeting between Varadkar and EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels today.
The EU has repeatedly said the withdrawal agreement will not be reopened, and speaking to reporters this afternoon, Varadkar reiterated that message.
“The withdrawal agreement is not going to be reopened but we are willing to consider amendments to the joint-political declaration, and if there is no agreement then there is no transition period for the United Kingdom,” he said.
“There’s no withdrawal agreement without a backstop and there is no implementation period without a withdrawal agreement.
The UK has been granted an extension to get the withdrawal agreement passed through parliament before 31 October or face a no-deal Brexit.
Theresa may tried and failed on three occasions to win enough votes in Westminister before announcing her resignation last month.
Varadkar today said a further extension would not be granted to facilitate further negotiations and that it would take a general election or a second referendum for another extension to be considered.
“While I have endless patience some of my colleagues have lost confidence quite frankly with the UK and there is enormous hostility to any further extension.
“So I think an extension could only really happen if it were to facilitate something like a general election in the UK or perhaps even like a second referendum if they decided to have one.
“What won’t be entertained is an extension for further negotiations or further indicative votes. The time for that has long since passed,” he added.
Conservative race
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove are battling it out to replace Theresa May at 10 Downing Street.
All three have said they would leave with a no deal if the Withdrawal Agreement is not reopened.
Rory Stewart, who was eliminated yesterday, was the only candidate to insist he would not leave without a deal on 31 October.
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For G O D S sake Leo
Please keep it shut
@Isthatright: is what he said this time actually that bad? Seems like it is pretty sensible. Or do you only like it when he says stupid things?
@thephantomshit: It sounds like he is gloating and dareing them to do it.
@thephantomshit:
Why say anything ??
It’s not like he has any influence what so ever, yet he’s happy to risk alienating one of our biggest trading partners
He’s a tool who simply loves the sound of his own voice
@Isthatright: the UK is doing a fine job alienating themselves
@Isthatright: it’s called politics and getting your retaliation in first something you probably wouldn’t understand.. the UK are doing a great job of alienating themselves ..
@Paul Kelly: in a few years you might wish we joined them, the EU is not the be all and end all
@Isthatright: Stop being such a drama queen!
@Isthatright: Leo is the playground wimp that decides he’s going to be the playground bully because he thinks the bigger boys got his back… Please don’t believe all this nonsense about the “EU won’t throw Ireland under a bus” Isn’t that touching?? . Past experience tell us that the EU won’t hesitate to throw Ireland under a bus when it suits them to do so..
@Isthatright: so we pander to the British and there long lost empire but seem to still have that mind set. Time to put cards on the table n get on with it & deal with what comes
@thephantomshit: well he’s out done himself in stupidity in this case. The fact is that the EU will buckle on the backstop to protect its trade balance with the UK. In fact the EU were about to give in the back stop when the Commons took no deal off the table and now that it’s back in the table just watch the EU buckle despite all the drumming of the chest they are doing.. if Leo keeps on going this way he’s going to get the backstop and the economic damage.
@Stephen Duffy:
hahaha, look at you, all your statements are based on no evidence and a conviction that the EU will act how you want them too
@Stephen Duffy: No sign of that at all Stephen. Quite to the contrary. Perhaps you have not been following events. Or perhaps you want the EU to appear supine and weak. There are other things the EU needs to focus on than just Brexit.
@Stephen Duffy: Stop telling the Truth Stephen, lots of people around here dont like it.
@Stephen Duffy: you don’t have a crystal ball and you’re simply wrong about the E.U.’s intensions. The thing is regardless of Ireland the E.U. is not going to give or forgive a country walking away after forty five years and giving it the two fingers and even before leaving siding with an extreme right wing regime in the United States out to destroy the E.U. If the truth be known.
@Paul Kelly:
Not my point
@Isthatright: so what is your point? Seems to have been just an opportunity to have a go at Varadkar for opportunities sake.
@Stephen Duffy: dead right Stephen. EU playing Ireland like a fiddle, and Varadkar hasn’t the snarts to see it. Every other week Macron is on about our corporate tax, and plans for a EU defence force continue apace. As soon as the Brits are out we will know all about it. Neber forget how they dealt with us after the crash.
@Stephen Duffy: Thats a scary thought. Why would they throw us under the bus though, we are part of the EU, and the UK wants out…. surely they will protect their own… the backlash would be disastrous.
Boris won’t want any extension. Democracy wins. The people will get what they voted for. Leaving the EU.. Unlike us twice..
@Willy: what are you on about
@superdooper: I think he’s alluding to the Lisbon treaty, and by so doing proving he knows nothing about it.
@David Stapleton: but we did vote on it twice. The EU has a strong history of ignoring referenda, but you keep taking the soup, good boy.
@Willy: We have never voted on the same referendum twice.
If you have to tell lies to get your point across you’re losing.
@Darius Guppy: The treaty was changed. You should educate yourself on these things before commenting.
@Willy: “twice” – and how many times did your May go to her parliament with the same deal?
Unlike the Lisbon Treaty which was changed the second time.
@Willy: Hey Willy! Have the EU “thrown us under a bus” yet??
I seem to remember you making this prediction daily.
So when’s it gonna happen eh???
@superdooper: I believe what Willie is on about is the fact that Lisbon MK 2 gave Ireland tax autonomy if we passed it. However, the EU is now saying that they want tax harmonization across all member nations thereby dishonoring the commitment made to Ireland and the result of Lisbon MK 2.
@Ooby Dooby: “Have the EU “thrown us under a bus” yet??”
Yes, when they insisted that Ireland pay 41% of EU bank loses even though we were only responsible for around 4%.
@John Hagin Meade: where did u pick up that fact .. the fake news papers .. we paid our own bank debt not 41% of other countries debt
@Ooby Dooby: That bus will arrive and sooner than you think…
@Willy: we never voted to leave the EU? I presume you are referring to the Lisbon treaty which was rejected by Ireland the first time, when changes were made we voted to accept it..it’s called democracy.
@David Stapleton: knows more than you do obviously
@Willy: getting your politics for every dole bird on height stools
@Ooby Dooby: the treaty wasn’t changed, that’s a lie. If the treaty had been changed then it would have to have been re-ratified across Europe which didn’t happen. What we got were addenda added, of questionable legal enforcement.
@Willy: must have missed that leave vote (twice) lol
@Ooby Dooby: it ain’t over yet, Ooby
@Winston Smith:
yes one treaty wasnt changed but wree given assertions about the EU army. the other treat WAS changed.
Lies again from you. and even your last sentence says we wer given some sort of legal assertions…. have any of the fear mongering stated before the treaties come true?
@Stephen Coveney: that’s an obvious lie because no countries other than us had to ratify post amendments. A contract or treaty has to be ratified by all parties in its applicable state for painfully obvious reasons. Addenda were added relating solely to Ireland and we voted a second time on the treaty plus addenda. The legal enforceability of those addenda is questionable because of recent pronouncements by european leaders regarding tax harmonisation and common military policies, along with the manner in which the treaties were ratified. Fact remains, the treaties themselves for both Nice and Lisbon were not changed between the first and second referenda on each. Those who persistently claim they were are either wilfully lying or wilfully ignorant.
@John Hagin Meade: Agree with you 100%. If you really want to know about the bank “bailout” and who the bondholders are, have a look at The secret bank bailout by a German journalist call Harold Schumann on utube. Shown on German tv but rte havent got around to it yet.
@Winston Smith: Tax harmonisation cannot happen in any sphere without unanimity. Every country had a veto. That is a fact. Nor can Ireland be forced to join any EU military alliance. That’s a fact. Calls for various things are about the politics of the issues. The legal position is abundantly clear.
@John Kelly: Here is a link John https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/42-of-europes-banking-crisis-paid-by-ireland-219703.html
@David Stapleton: hahaha so true.
@Thomas Roche: Thank’s for that Thomas. Here is the link to that YouTube item you mentioned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu5sTyAXyAo
@Ronan Skelly: It’s only democracy if you like the result.
If you don’t you moan about it.
@Ooby Dooby: Not changed just rewritten
@John Kelly: We were forced by the EC, EC and IMF to pay unsecured debts to prevent contagion in to European banks. It was not the debt of the Irish people. It was debt belonging to the same international investors who subsequently became the preferential resellers of irish government bonds at knockdown prices and the owners of vast swathes of ‘distressed’ Irish property. Guido Fawkes list.
I think we can safely assume that there will be a ‘no deal’ Brexit, if that’s the case.
In fairness to Leo and the boys..they have been consistent on the backstop…I don’t think others would have been.
@Ronan Skelly: 28 mins gone and you haven’t been flamed. The Leo haters must all be in the pub.
We need to try and help them down off the cross not keep banging more nails in. We could be on the next cross beside them.
@Dave O: only if we build the cross, and nail ourselves to it…
@David Stapleton: Interesting perspective, naive, wrong, but the lack of understanding of the consequences of no Deal Brexit for us is as bad as the Brexiteers lack understanding of the consequences for them.
@Dave O: . The Romans told jesus. Cross your legs .we are running out of nails. !!!!
@Dave O: thanks Sherlock! What do u suggest limitless limbo?
@Dave O:
No worries, Boris the Messiah is on the case! What could possibly go wrong?
No comments allowed for any article on the Ana tragedy.. The trial is over so why are comments not allowed..
@Tim McCormack29: Because they have a sensible editor!
@Tim McCormack29: sentencing not decided yet ..
@Tim McCormack29:
why are you so eager. Remember Tim McCormack, just wants to comment on tragic stuff
@John Kelly: 4 weeks time they will be sentenced, if tim was really following the news he would know this.. youngers killers in the history of the state. Brings back memorys of poor Jamie Bolger. They named venabels and Robertson back then in 1993. Different country’s different laws but once it was all the same.
The Brits are going to crash out Leo – where is you plan it’s Going on long enough and you’re just pontificating Leo fiddles why Ireland
‘To infinity and beyond!’
efore becoming Taoiseach, Le Varadkar admitted to smoking cannabis in college but when asked if he ever experimented with ecstasy or other illegal drugs as a teenager, Mr Varadkar replied: “Not since I’ve held elected office, anyway.”
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/varadkar-refuses-to-clarify-comments-on-his-own-drug-use-38222637.html
Varadkar turning Fine Gael into a cult, says Shatter
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/varadkar-turning-fine-gael-into-a-cult-says-shatter-38229045.html
@Gowon Geter: how does the Journal always seem to miss these type of Leo articles ?
@Gowon Geter: brilliant
@Gowon Geter: I think “Cult” was a typo!
@Jack: Things must be bad when one has to go to the Independent for unbiased news :-)
Johnson is ignorant towards Ireland and the political situation in the North and further more he does not care and has said as much. Britain can shoot itself in the foot, but the ricochet will seriously injury Ireland, unfortunately!
@Seán Dillon: Well, he made it to the DUP annual conference this year as an invited speaker.
@Seán Dillon: He will be the first PM of England and (bits of) Wales…..bless him!
The Brits are going to crash out Leo – where is you plan it’s Going on long enough and you’re just pontificating Leo fiddles why Ireland burns
@Martin Brennan: the brits wont make up their mind so how in hell is the government to make a decision when there is no final decision from the UK ..
@John Kelly: they have there out on 31st oct get on with it
Well said taoiseach. But you will have to repeat it seven times before the brits hear you. The brits are whistling past the graveyard and not listening.!!!!!!
P L A I N. S P E A K I N G. GO LEO !!!
@anthony o cathain: some people dont like that
This again!!!! Seriously.
So the UK government wants to destroy the Good Friday Agreement because they think it will never kick off again and destroying it means like they won. How emotionally immature and stupid they are but they think voters are stupid compared to them…
@TamuMassif2019: they havnt gone away you know. If drug dealers can get in the weapons that we see on the news seized. Just picture the arsenal they have after 21 years. Big slow Boris Johnson will start it all again and he’s not even English. He’s American. Clown.
Shut your mouth Leo…. Your a total embarrassment to Ireland and don’t forget you wasn’t voted to run this country by the people.
@John Copeman: He not even Irish ffs..
@John Copeman: He’s an elected TD. How do you think the Taoiseach is elected?
@Teresa Ryan: You really are having a laugh ain’t you? At the time of the election was he in charge of the country? No. And if there was a vote for him to take charge, do you think he would of been voted as Taoiseach? You must be a FG troll.
Our government have no clue what’s in store come brexit. Typically their heads are in the sand. They EU don’t give too hoots about Ireland. They’d reopen anything for safe passage for UK and stop and escalation of devaults
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