Speaking in London on Wednesday after Article 50 had been triggered, Nigel Farage – who is the former leader of the UKIP party – said it was a day to celebrate.

“It’s good news for us. I think for many other countries like yours [Ireland], people will start to ask the question ‘what is the European Union for in the 21st century’?’’

Farage was one of the cheerleaders of the Brexit side of last year’s vote on whether or not the UK should leave the EU.

However, he said he recognises the difficulties Irish farming could face as a result of the UK leaving the EU. He added that he wants trading relationships between Ireland and the UK to continue.

As revealed in this week’s Irish Farmers Journal, trade tariffs could have a debilitating effect on Irish farming.

“I completely understand that and Irish agriculture, in particular, needs the UK market very badly… we want to go on doing business. We want to go on being friends, of course we do.’’

On the potential hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, Farage said: “I can’t see that happening at all… we have had a relationship for nearly 100 years, I can’t see that changing.”

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