At a press conference in Government buildings, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and British Prime Minister Theresa May both said the border that will inevitably result from the UK decision to leave the European single market should be “seamless and frictionless”.

Prime Minister May said Ireland and the UK traded €1.2bn worth of goods and services every week and “no one wants to see this diminished”. The UK absorbs 37% of Irish food and drink exports, worth €4.13bn in 2016 according to Bord Bia figures.

We need to find a solution that enables to have as seamless and frictionless a border as possible between Northern Ireland and Ireland

“There are elements of full membership of the customs union that would restrict our ability to do trade agreements with other parts of the world,” she said. “But I believe – and this is what we are working on – that we need to find a solution that enables to have as seamless and frictionless a border as possible between Northern Ireland and Ireland, so that we can continue to see the trade, the everyday movements that we have seen up to now.“

An Taoiseach added: “We want to see that these deep trading ties between our two countries are recognised and facilitated.” He said that this would continue to be an absolute priority for the Government in talks with both the UK and with other member states “on the EU side of the table”.

He also listed agriculture and food among “key areas of co-operation for the future” between Ireland and the UK.

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