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The next phase of Brexit negotiations was on the agenda when An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar met with the European Commission’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday.
The meeting comes just days before the UK leaves the EU at the end of this week on Friday 31 January.
Speaking following the meeting, An Taoiseach said Barnier will now be focused on reaching a new comprehensive partnership, including a free trade agreement, between the European Union and the UK.
“We discussed what a new partnership with the UK might look like and what it will include, knowing that the window of opportunity to negotiate is in fact very short.
“The UK will leave the EU at the end of this week. I welcome the fact that Michel has said that he is ready to begin work on the future EU-UK relationship as soon as possible after that.
It is essential to get this right and to create the best possible framework
"We both agreed that it is essential to get this right and to create the best possible framework for working and co-operating with our close neighbour and friend, the UK.
“We discussed some of the particular challenges of Brexit for Ireland in this next phase of negotiations – fishing, agriculture, exporters, the landbridge, aviation, haulage, universities – the list is long. Also the fact that the British and Irish economies are intertwined, and our unique history and geography as a nation,” he said.
He said he asked Barnier to continue to look out for Ireland’s interests in this next phase of Brexit, including protecting the EU single market, which Varadkar said “is of ever-greater importance to our economy here in Ireland”.
Level playing field
“I told Michel that I was very ambitious about the future EU-UK relationship, but that hand in hand with that ambition there has to be realism.
We’ll say goodbye to an old friend embarking on an adventure
"We need to start a new relationship between the EU and the UK on a firm and honest footing, and that means a level playing field. This is very much in Ireland’s interests, as well as that of the European Union as a whole. I know that he shares this view.
“On Friday, the UK is leaving the European Union. We’ll say goodbye to an old friend embarking on an adventure. We hope it works out for them. But if it does not there will always be a seat kept for them at the table,” he said.
Cullinan meets Barnier
The new IFA president Tim Cullinan also met with Barnier on Monday morning at the European Commission headquarters in Dublin to convey the views of Irish farmers.
He met Barnier on the same day in which he takes over the top job in the IFA from Joe Healy.
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