The meeting between the European Council President Donald Tusk and An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is set to prioritise the issue of the Irish border after Brexit, though the EU "divorce" settlement and the right of European citizens in the UK post-Brexit will also be discussed.
The Irish Government has remained adamant that the issue of the border post-Brexit is for the UK to sort out, but if the UK leaves the EU without an agreement to remain in the single customs union, it could mark the reintroduction of border checks between the north and south of the island.
However, the British Prime Minister Theresa May has ruled out remaining in the single market and customs union, which would ensure that the introduction of a hard border would not happen.
Future border trade
This week, the House of Commons in the UK found fault with the British government’s proposals for resolving the border issue, and said their proposal to use technology to solve the concerns raised over frequent border crossings were untested.
There have been suggestions that the Conservative party in the UK would accept concessions on the issue of an Irish border, and some people hope that Ireland would have a separate arrangement with the UK after Brexit.
European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan told The Observer newspaper this week: “Most real costs to cross-border business today are not tariffs – they are about standards, about custom procedures, about red tape.”
“These are solved in the single market, but not in an FTA (Free trade agreement)”
DUP
The Conservative government is currently in a coalition government with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), who have repeatedly stated that they will not support any separate arrangement between the UK and Ireland.
The former DUP leader Peter Robinson said the Republic of Ireland should “wind its neck in”, after accusing the Irish Government of acting provocatively in the Brexit negotiations.
IFA meeting with Chief Negotiator
The IFA met with the EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier this week, and president Joe Healy emphasised the importance of maintaining a future trading relationship between Ireland and the whole of the UK.
“The most straightforward means of minimising the disruption to trade between the EU and the UK, is for all of the UK to remain within in the EU customs union and single market.” President Healy said.
“This would also resolve the issue of the border with Northern Ireland,” he concluded.
Next Monday, the British Prime Minister will meet with European Commission president Jean Claude Juncker in what is likely to be a crucial meeting between the two sides.
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The meeting between the European Council President Donald Tusk and An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is set to prioritise the issue of the Irish border after Brexit, though the EU "divorce" settlement and the right of European citizens in the UK post-Brexit will also be discussed.
The Irish Government has remained adamant that the issue of the border post-Brexit is for the UK to sort out, but if the UK leaves the EU without an agreement to remain in the single customs union, it could mark the reintroduction of border checks between the north and south of the island.
However, the British Prime Minister Theresa May has ruled out remaining in the single market and customs union, which would ensure that the introduction of a hard border would not happen.
Future border trade
This week, the House of Commons in the UK found fault with the British government’s proposals for resolving the border issue, and said their proposal to use technology to solve the concerns raised over frequent border crossings were untested.
There have been suggestions that the Conservative party in the UK would accept concessions on the issue of an Irish border, and some people hope that Ireland would have a separate arrangement with the UK after Brexit.
European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan told The Observer newspaper this week: “Most real costs to cross-border business today are not tariffs – they are about standards, about custom procedures, about red tape.”
“These are solved in the single market, but not in an FTA (Free trade agreement)”
DUP
The Conservative government is currently in a coalition government with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), who have repeatedly stated that they will not support any separate arrangement between the UK and Ireland.
The former DUP leader Peter Robinson said the Republic of Ireland should “wind its neck in”, after accusing the Irish Government of acting provocatively in the Brexit negotiations.
IFA meeting with Chief Negotiator
The IFA met with the EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier this week, and president Joe Healy emphasised the importance of maintaining a future trading relationship between Ireland and the whole of the UK.
“The most straightforward means of minimising the disruption to trade between the EU and the UK, is for all of the UK to remain within in the EU customs union and single market.” President Healy said.
“This would also resolve the issue of the border with Northern Ireland,” he concluded.
Next Monday, the British Prime Minister will meet with European Commission president Jean Claude Juncker in what is likely to be a crucial meeting between the two sides.
Read more
'Chaotic' Brexit hangs over Ireland
Brexit looms large over NI sheepmeat market
Coveney appointed Tánaiste and other changes in Cabinet
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