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DUP LEADER ARLENE Foster has criticised Theresa May over a letter from the British Prime Minister suggesting the EU is pushing for a border down the Irish Sea, in the wake of Brexit.
The letter, leaked to the Times of London, suggests a Brussels plans to put a customs border in the Irish sea in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Provision for the sea border would be included in any divorce agreement, according to May’s letter to the unionist party, effectively keeping Northern Ireland within the EU customs union and single market.
The Brussels plan aims to avoid a return to a hard border on the island of Ireland.
In the letter, according to the Times, May said she could not accept any “circumstances or conditions” that would break up the UK into two customs territories.
The DUP’s Foster, however, has said that the letter raised “alarm bells” and that “it appears the prime minister is wedded to the idea of a border down the Irish Sea, with Northern Ireland in the EU single market regulatory regime”.
The EU plan would see Northern Ireland tied to the customs union should Brexit negotiations fall through.
The “backstop” measure ensures that Northern Ireland would stay aligned to the regulations of the single market and the customs union if there is still no other solution that would avoid infrastructure along the Irish border and has become one of the chief sticking points in the negotiations between the EU and the UK.
Urging caution
In the letter, May says that, although Europe is still pushing for a “backstop to the backstop”, she could not allow a divide between the rest of the UK and Northern Ireland to “come into force”.
The wording of May’s letter – sent on Tuesday to Foster and her deputy Nigel Dodds – has been interpreted by the DUP to mean that such a clause could be inserted into a final agreement.
The Prime Minister relies on the DUP for her House of Commons majority. In recent days, British media has reported that a final withdrawal agreement is imminent.
According to the Times, British officials have been told that a special cabinet is expected to meet next Tuesday to discuss the final shape of a divorce deal.
Tánaiste Simon Coveney, however, has urged caution about an imminent breakthrough in the Brexit negotiations.
Speaking yesterday, Coveney said it should not be assumed that just because the UK Cabinet agrees on something, that an overall deal has been agreed with the EU.
“In terms of commentary today, particularly in the British media, I would urge caution that an imminent breakthrough is not necessarily to be taken for granted, not by a long shot.”
Ain’t the media great to give these protests wall to wall coverage…
@Derek Durkin: Goddamn media reporting the news, despicable if you ask me.
@Diarmuid Hunt: yeah because that’s how the media works yeah….not too bright are we
@Derek Durkin: I didn’t say they weren’t selective. Nice ad hominem though.
If you choose to chain or glue yourself to objects, you should be left to protest unaided for 24 hours or at least until you toilet yourself.
@Mick Byrne: Do you really give a **** about what you claim to believe in?
@Mick Byrne: You’re only giving them ideas! Dirty protests are not unheard of in this country…
@Mick Byrne: And to ask what toilets do they use or do they tow mobile toilets with them.
Bunch of hypocrites should be all arrested
@Jim O Brien – TechBuzz Ireland: Arrested for protesting? Are you sure about that?
@Shakka1244: they’re breaching the peace so they can be arrested, there is nothing peaceful about pushing through a barricade and chaining yourself to a gate also it’s worth noting that assembly near or at the dail can be controlled or shut down under article 40 of the Constitution. At this stage their numbers are dwindling and they’re getting desperate for media attention, this little stunt just proves it. Sure their little March through Penneys on Mary street completely backfired, there was killings on Twitter because they came across as elitist and snobby.
@Peej: I think you’ll find that many could see that they weren’t elitist or snobby, more highlighting the abhorrent working conditions of the sweatshops used to fund the functioning capitalists who sell such items by mass production, shops like Penney’s capitalize on the detachment of works who are often as young as 12 brought from urban areas to big cities to be exploited for the good of the western consumer, whilst the big chains relish in the reward,.
Get in those lads the council employed . Seemed to work a dream
Arrest them all already. Waste of tax payers money. Right to free protest has long since passed
@Gareth Murran: Are you saying that anyone that protests should be immediately arrested? Since when did we become North Korea?
@Shakka1244: if XR on their manifesto are encouraging civil disobedience and not protests, by its very nature, their intention is to be arrested!! There is a difference between cd and protest.
@Jennifer Hampson: Yep, civil disobedience pretty much guarantees time in custody. It depends on whether enough people think the cause is worth it & if enough do, change will soon follow. Time will tell if they keep it up but if the climate keeps getting worse, it’ll only go one way.
I thought it already was an open house if you were in the know!!!!!!
Ruined a great event for the general public. And now the hippies will wonder why they ain’t getting support? Plant a hemp tree somewhere and smoke it when it finally is big enough.
TD are the one making the issue of carbon with this tax to handle the public deficit . Twenty per cent of that national debt made up of a deal made by a minister with IMF ad EU never laid before the Dail .
When did a minister get authority to treat his deal as law of land without consnet of Dail and Oireachtas ie legislation making deal part of law
and
How can TD vote on estiamte if the Dail has no control over what in kitty to spend whihc it does not until that deal laid beofe it by min?
Commission can serve notice on ireland to reduce that deficit (64.8 per cent in excess of the 60 per cent threshold under the Fiscal Compact Treaty per ntma report at end of 18 with loan of 44 billion from eu and uk ) as an DEBTOR to EU ??
TD complaining about not enuf spend are only putting us into deeper debt and only DAIL can change situation by TD having minister LAY that EU/IMF deal before the dail that will reduce deficit until DAIL approves terms by voting thru legislation making it part of law of state. Term that public spending complies with deficit rule but also public funds will cap bank cos share value fall cos of ECB policit we have no control over.
Minister have to acknowledge a debt cos min signed loan agreement .
But TD seem to want to have cake and eat it want to complain about govt , overspending or underspending but not taking control of the fund but seem to have no problem voting thru these estimate . Think it will carry on until voter tell local TD .. hey why isnt that deal before Dail? We elect U to be responsible for whats in kitty to spend not minister ?
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