Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
UK FOREIGN SECRETARY Boris Johnson held a joint press conference with Irish counterpart Simon Coveney in Dublin this morning and differences between their relative positions were evident.
Coveney reiterated the Irish position that a transitionary period of “four or five years” is preferable for new trade arrangements after Brexit while Johnson said he feels a new relationship could be forged “on a much shorter timescale”.
The pair were meeting at the Department of Foreign Affairs on an important day for Ireland-UK relations with leaders Leo Varadkar and Theresa May also meeting in Sweden.
At a Brexit-focused event in Dublin last night hosted by business group Ibec, Coveney said that “these aren’t the easiest times” for relations between the two nations. He also made remarks favouring the longer transitional period.
At this morning’s press conference, Johnson said he feels the timescale is too lengthy that negotiations should be moved forward.
“I must confess that I wasn’t aware of the proposal from Simon for such a long transition period, but I think I understand the sentiment behind it,” Johnson said.
Which is that everybody wants to have the maximum possible reassurance. I think it’s possible to do that on a much shorter timescale and what we would like to do is get on as fast as possible with the meat of the negotiations. Get the real conversation about how this is going to work.
Before UK-EU negotiations move onto the crucial issue of trade, parties must agree that sufficient progress has been made on three key issues: the UK’s exit bill, the fate of Northern Ireland, and the rights of EU citizens living in Britain.
Johnson said that he wants the talks to move onto this phase, arguing that the post-Brexit relationship between Ireland and the UK can be discussed as part of wide trade negotiations.
“The issues of the Northern Irish border and how it works are intellectually, intimately bound up with the questions of the custom union, single-market, Britain’s relationship with those and those questions have been reserved by the commission for study in stage two of the negotiations,” he said.
And I think logically now is the time to proceed with stage two of the negotiations, get those issues really teased out. Develop a vision for how it is going to work, not just the Northern Irish border, Dover, Calais, everywhere where the UK has a border with the EU and sort it out that way. I share Simon’s view that we need to get on with this, but our view is you can only crack the problem in the context of a wider understanding of how the new customs union arrangements are going to work across the board.
Coveney disagreed with Johnson and said that talks are not yet at that point.
“The EU taskforce has said that there are parameters around which we need to find solutions, and the details of that will be in phase two, I am sure. But those parameters need to be a lot clearer and a lot clearer before we can move on to phase two,” Coveney said.
Ireland’s Foreign Minister also took issue with a description used by Johnson, saying that “we’re in the meat of the negotiations right now on certain issues”.
“What we have said is that by all means we want to get into the meat of the discussions on trade, we think it’s possible within 12 months to put a framework agreement in place in terms of what the future relationship might look like, but we also think it’s going to take a number of years to finalise the detail of that.” Coveney added.
(Click here if video doesn’t play)
Despite both parties being in different places in their view of the negotiations, Johnson said again that ”the British government has absolutely no interest in any kind of hard border”.
“That is the last thing we want to see as a result of this exercise,” he added.
The meeting coincides with talks taking place between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and UK Prime Minister Theresa May in Sweden.
The pair are in Gothenburg for an EU summit meeting but are also meeting bilaterally to discuss Brexit.
The Taoiseach’s department has said that Varadkar “will emphasise the importance of upholding all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement including the power sharing institutions, and will continue to urge the Northern Ireland parties to reach agreement”.
This meeting with the prime minister comes in advance of December’s meeting of the European Council where a decision will be taken on whether or not to progress to the next phase of Brexit negotiations.
The Taoiseach is expected to emphasise at the meeting that progress is possible in December but only if all sides show sufficient political will.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
It doesn’t really matter if Boris has “no interest” in a hard border – what’s really required is actual proposals to ensure it is prevented.
@Alan Barry: It’s like in a Maths exam where you skip Part 1 because you’ve no clue, in order to move onto the far more difficult Part 2. Problem is you need the answer from Part 1 for Part 2…
On top of that, you actually though you had English Paper 2 today and don’t have your calculator.
Also you’re terrible at Maths.
And a knob.
Best of luck with it all, Boris.
@Alan Barry: mainland has no inerest in Northern Ireland full stop. No mention of the place in its Brevit manifesto.
If Sf cared about brexit they would take their seats for the free vote…
@siobhan pat mulcahy: You are right, they are still waiting for the promised billion from Theresa May for Dup propping up the tories. I doubt that Johnson would dare show his face around Belfast.
@frank sullivan: Good point, but better if DUP pulled out of Westminster altogether and concentrated instead at getting NI government functioning again. They are going nowhere propping up the tories.
@Chris Kirk: Well if SF aren’t prepared to vote on this matter it really does sum them up
@Brinster: Brilliant comment! lol
@Brinster: great summation
@Brinster: That my friend deserves a higher point of place than just here. That is possibly the best layman explanation I have ever heard about a complicated topic.
@frank sullivan:
frank sullivan ( aka Tommy MacDonagh aka Leo Lowbrowe) the resident troll at it again.
Auld Boris doesn’t want a hard border, that must hurt. I suggest you lay off the sherry, it’s a bit early man.
Here you are admitting to your exsesive “recreational drinking”.
It all makes sense now, just scroll down a bit…..
http://www.thejournal.ie/drugs-recreational-poll-3693055-Nov2017/
@Shane Molloy: Ah my stalker. Bless…. not a weirdo at all!
@frank sullivan: Let me know when their votes will make a difference to the outcome.
@Tanks a Minion: in the vote, that’s how votes work. If SF are adults they will vote? Tick tock…
@Northern Craic: @ktsiwot: @frank sullivan @Diarmuid
Too kind – appreciated!
@Brinster: that is the funniest and most accurate description of the Brexit talks so far! 100 green thumbs!
@Brinster: Excellent comment!
Basically sums up Britain’s whole negotiation tactics to date!!
@Brinster: Thanks, you made my day!
@Alan Barry:
We must regard Boris and his ilk as OUR ENEMY and Simon knows that well. Simon knows very well we are his enemy in regard to BREXIT.
@frank sullivan: unlike our chancers here Sinn Fein stand on a manifesto and, wait for it, stick to it. Their voters knew what they wanted, that they won’t sit in Westminster and voted in droves for them.
@Brinster: Did that happen to you, are you speaking from Experience and I think the UK will be happy to part with NI ASAP?
@Misanthrope: Scottish MP’s take their seats, in Westminster and looks like they’ve a better chance of leaving the UK before NI?
@Stephen murphy: 2Did that happen to you,”
Possibly……
“I think the UK will be happy to part with NI ASAP”
Happy to – yes absolutely. But the decision is NIs and not theirs. Absolutely zero prospect of GB severing ties – the impetus will have to come from NI.
I change my mind weekly on whether Brexit makes this more or less likely.
Right now I’m thinking the rude economic shock that NI and ROI will get will make a United Ireland less likely.
Can’t see a majority deciding to jump ship if both regions are going through a downturn.
@Stephen murphy: point being?
The British did not have a clue what Brexit would look like when they voted for it. The hard border within the island or Ireland did not even register in their thought process, and will continue to be a non-issue as they stumble through these negotiations. The outcome for Britain has to be that there will be no deal, so a hard Brexit and a hard border are certainties. The Tories will have their “Take it or Leave it” parliament debate which will pass, so Britain will leave not as a friend and long time ally, but as an isolated former colonial power whose influence in the world will have shrunk dramatically. And the biggest irony is that the main reason they left was immigration, and their biggest problem with immigration is not coming from the EU but their former colonies. Like all divorces, it’s sad with no real winners, and will undoubtedly have an adverse affect on our own fortunes in Ireland.
@David Knight: You are right, British MP’s in Dublin and Cavan yesterday and now Boris comes along for a weekend jaunt. No more than a box ticking exercise to say that they talked to the paddy’s.
@David Knight: I made exactly the same point about immigration problems to some very close English friends of mine and I was surprised by their adverse reaction. I think it was more that they were annoyed with themselves for not having thought it out. I feel so sorry for the people because they were sold a pup on a wave of misplaced nationalism and nostalgia for the Britain that existed in their Empire days. They don’t realise without the EU they are just a small fish in a very big pond and they are no longer the world power they once were.
@David Knight: Very insightful.
@David Knight: exactly. The more Brexit unfolds the more of a car crash it is. I would bet in ten years time Britain will be part of the EU again or applying to be so.
@David Knight: makes you wonder what the former colonies and in particular the commonwealth members, will think of Brexit. I assume that one of the reasons the commonwealth stuck together was that those countries could use the commonwealth as a conduit to access the EU markets (e.g. New Zealand lamb). If the conduit disappears, what happens the commonwealth??? Watch this space…
@Chris Kirk: Not very often you see two clowns on stage at the one time?
they most certainly are not easy times for ireland what has mr Coveney said about the potential closing of the transit route for irish goods going through the UK and into Europe,just remember it takes a ferry nearly 24 hours to get to France, time is money in the business world and the closing of the transit route will be catastrophic for the irish economy, and what about the 71 billion euros worth trade ireland does with the UK also risking hundreds of thousands of jobs in ireland ??? its now time ireland had an EU referendum on its membership i for one would defo vote to leave
@rich jezzer: but you don’t live in Ireland @rich jezzer. So are you just saying it would suit you and the rest of the UK for us to leave so it would make things easier for you? Is that not just a tad selfish?
@rich jezzer: I’ve told you about boats before jezzer. Your getting forgetful. You’re convincing no one.
It’ll be a long time before the British are convincing to anyone. Especially if Bozo is the guy you send over.
@Elizabeth Gregory: why would it suit me ??? it will be ireland that will be hit the hardest if that transit route is closed down for irish goods maybe the irish prime minister should not get to cocky when speaking to the theresa may thinking he has more power over these negotiations when really he’s a puppet to the EU dictatorship,Brexit ain’t happened yet and when it does finally happen i can imagine hundreds of thousands of job losses in ireland yet the irish government ain’t said how there gonna fix any of these issues
@rich jezzer: Please do leave. No one would miss you.
@rich jezzer: So, you’re suggesting that Ireland leaves a 27 country trading bloc (the largest in the world) to join a trading bloc of 2 countries (UK & Ireland)?
Meanwhile the leaders of Grimsby Council (70% Vote Leave) have recently traveled to London asking for the port to be a designated as a free trade zone. You see, they want Brexit but don’t want the negative outcomes of Brexit!
@rich jezzer: As a member of the British army we’ve had all the input we want you and you’re ilk.
@Danny Rafferty: i don’t think you speak for all irish folk in ireland majority of folks will in time change there minds when they start loosing there jobs and not to mention there pensions
@rich jezzer: Not easy times for the UK either with Sterling going down the pan. Looks like Britain will be in the poor house after Brexit and it is all your own silly fault for being so gullible.
@rich jezzer: Brexit will not mean the end of trade or trade routes. It will just mean the end of free trade. The British will have to pay tax on everything coming and going to the EU, just as the EU will have to pay tax on everything going to and from britain.
Also, there is no bridge between Ireland and wales. That means everything going to europe has to be put on a boat anyway. It will not escalate costs too much if they have to leave it on the boat to france rather than put it on a boat, then transfer to a truck, then transfer to another boat or train before putting it back on a truck.
The british will suffer the most and many jobs will go to Ireland as a result because EU headquarters are useless when not in the EU.
@rich jezzer: You obviously haven’t been to Belfast lately, they are seething that they still haven’t recieved the money promised by Theresa May for propping up her government.
Any odds on how much longer she will remain as prime minister, March perhaps….!!
@Chris Kirk: i voted to leave just like majority of us Brits cause we don’t want to be part of a EU superstate and it wasn’t your decision to make it was ours and we don’t regret it one bit, and as for being poor it will be ireland that will be the biggest looser after brexit if the EU pushes UK towards a hard Brexit, we can argue all day long it still won’t change the fact that were leaving and that hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost !!
@rich jezzer: If Brexit is such a great thing, why such anger and underlying threats in your posts? It’s not just you, but it appears to be a trait for Brexiters in general.
@rich jezzer: another product of the British education system. How much does the daily mail cost these day?
@rich jezzer: Britain can’t even produce enough food to feed it’s people, it has historically depended on Ireland to be it’s allotment but now Ireland has access to a market of 400,000000+ and has no real need of Britain. There maybe a small shortfall but when we carve out part of The UKs market share we should be better off. As for the EU pushing the UK towards a hard brexit that’s nonsense, As you said it was your decision so man up and accept that. You thought you’d be better off out but now want all the benefits of being in as well which is daft from a has been nation with no real clout anymore.
@rich jezzer: If Ireland is going to lose so many jobs, how many will be lost in the UK? I can see the Scots bailing and joining the EU as an independent nation. Rump UK will not be able to afford the luxury that is the north eastern part of Ireland. They will vote out, too, perhaps with some pushing from London. Enjoy the fruits of your ignorance.
@Tanks a Minion: Never mind the North Eastern part of Ireland – rump UK will not be able to subsidise the North Eastern part of England!!
@Francis Devenney: we’ll continue to trade with ireland but no doubt there will be big tariffs placed on irish agricultural products like dairy or meat either way its going to be a disaster for irish farmers who rely on the UK market
@rich jezzer: “its going to be a disaster for irish farmers who rely on the UK market” not really you need the food so you’ll pay for it and we’ll still sell it. But the cost to the UK consumer will jump if you’re paying WTO tariffs. Also when you lose protected status on branding and the Americans can sell Scotch whisky and Cornish pasties etc you will lose even more.
@rich jezzer: ___ You can’t be particularly smart if after all this time you haven’t realised how much you screwed up by voting to leave the EU. If you were anywhere near smart you would have got the message by now, that a substantial number of people regret voting to leave, and that your “we don’t regret it one bit” is a load of nonsense. Anyone with more than two active brain cells can see the reality of the situation.
@rich jezzer: and a disaster for UK shoppers who will see their shopping bills go up and up. A disaster for the workers in manufacturing plants who export goods (Honda UK in Swindon have come out strongly this week – outlining the impact of a hard Brexit).
But most of all, it will be a disaster for the shyster politicians who promised the British voters a consequence free Brexit and easy trade deals.
@rich jezzer: baaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!
@rich jezzer: You are wrong there mate, as a British person living in Ireland I didn’t have a vote in your referendum, but it will still affect me if the UK decides to cut my UK pension, as it is at the moment losing value because of the fall in Sterling. I really feel sorry for you suckers in Britain who were taken in by this brexit nonsense. When they told you they wanted their cake and eat it, I hope that the tories choke on it.
@rich jezzer: You are really obvious. Anytime Brexit is mentioned, you go on about the transit routes, and finish with a suggestion of Ireland leaving the EU. You are not even Irish. go away.
@Chris Kirk: the money is waiting to be spent its in the accounts but the IRA terrorists in the sinn fein party would rather play politics with people’s lives than get on with there day job, and by looks of it direct rule is only matter of time
@rich jezzer: What happens to British food supplies when those taxes are applied. Food prices go up correct! And when food prices go up then inflation follows. So with a sinking Pound, rising prices, increasing wage demands to pay for the more expensive goods and services, job losses rise, so with more people on the dole that means less taxes coming into government which in turn means less money for the likes of your NHS, Schools and Welfare payments. Added into that the years that it will take to negotiate new trade deals with other countries and the EU, the UK is staring down the barrel of a 1930′s style depression. And you think that Ireland should commit economic suicide just so the UK doesn’t sink alone.
@Ruairi Gagarin: a bit like the UK wanting free access to European markets without the pain associated with the Euro. The British have always been used to having their cake and eating everybody elses’…
@Francis Devenney: we need it ???? not really if we were aloud to make our own trade deals we could easily import cheaper products at the same standards, but when we do leave the agricultural products that are imported from ireland will have at least 50 percent tariff place on it and as for the common travel area known as the transit route will also end putting a big spanner in the works for the irish government
@rich jezzer: Keep reading the tea leaves jezzer.
You’re standard of English is improving by the way, but there’s still room for improvement. Keep it up.
@rich jezzer: Make sure you wrap up warm when you go out this weekend. The forecast for Moscow is light snow!
@rich jezzer: Do you think trade deals are done in weeks or months? Unless one side is prepared to accept all the terms and conditions of the other side without exception, it means negotiating. And when the other side know that time is not on your side, they can and will drag out those negotiations to make your side even more desperate to make a deal on their terms. How long do you think the UK could hold out to try and get a decent trade deal? And all the while prices of imported goods such as food rise. Which leads to inflation and all the problems associated with that.
@rich jezzer: Shows just how much you know, the health system in in Northern Ireland is broken and with long waiting lists to see specialists. Treatment for mental health is virtually non existent hence there are more suicides per head of population in NI than anywhere else in the UK. The tory government really should be ashamed of themselves and little wonder Westminster MP’s are coming here for talks, they would be afraid to go to Belfast at the moment.
@rich jezzer: the folk around here don’t like that kind of talk
@rich jezzer: Seriously jezzer, this is the same old tripe you came out with months ago.
It honestly looks like you just don’t know what you’re talking about.
You demonstrate very poor logic, analytical and language skills (tip: your phone has a spellchecker).
I’d be surprised if you get down to the supermarket to do your weekly shop without forgetting the toilet roll.
Maybe you have someone do that for you though – after all you’re “rich” and Tesco deliver, right?
@rich jezzer: Why don’t you stay in the UK then if you want to leave the EU so much? We make our own decisions or have you Brits learned absolutely nothing over the last 800 years?
@rich jezzer: Loves being English so much but can’t even spell properly in his own language.
@Ken Loughman: We have seen evidence of Russian trolls involving themselves in Elections and the Brexit debates. Now have a look at his Twitter account. Firstly all tweets are private. We know that many of the Russians were found out due to amount they tweeted. Secondly look at how many supposed followers he has. For someone virtually unknown that is a lot. Another give away for Russian accounts was poor English grammer and spelling. Again something he is notorious for. So given what we know about Russian troll farms working out of St Petersburg, I would say his has a high possibility of being one of them.
And the little Brexit cheerleaders here will eat this up. It’s all fine to say they don’t want one, but they have no credible proposal to prevent one. No border either requires Northern Ireland stay in the customs union or that we leave. Anything else will be a smugglers paradise.
They are the ones changing the status quo, so if they don’t want a border it is not unreasonable for them to come up with a bit more detail than “we don’t want a border”. Insisting on leaving the customs union but saying you don’t want a border is effectively having your cake and eating it too. If there’s a way to reconcile these two positions, then by all means, Boris, let’s hear it.
@Gerard: You will be waiting a long time for Boris to come up with anything, he doesn’t even have a brain. He is a straw man coming to Dublin to meet the Wizard of Oz…..
@Chris Kirk: Saying Johnson has no brain is a brainless statement. He’s a whilly wizard. And the DUP of course is in his parties pockets loving every minute of Wizardry.
@Chris Kirk: Well, he does look a fair bit like Worzel Gummidge…
I hope the reception for this eejit was cool this morning. He is no friend of Ireland.
Hard border IS going up whether people like it or not. We can’t be the first port of call for the UK’s trade dumping.
@Darren Bates: I’m afraid you’re right.
If the shinners cared one jot about brexit they would suck it up and take their seats for the free vote on brexit. Every vote will count… the ball is firmly in the shinners court.
@frank sullivan: Hiya Fred!
@Niall Quinlan: The Blueshirt troll loving Journal allows this eejit free rein on this site.
@Arnold Lane: If SF dont care enough about brexit unough to vote on it in westminster then there is no point discussing anything brexit related with the shinners as it obviously they dont care about brexit.
@frank sullivan: ” suck up” what exactly? The Tories refusal to be honest brokers of the GFA, their pact with the DUP which has emboldened them in their refusals to deal with previously agreed equality issues, and intransigence in face of others. DUP corruption and incompetence over issues such as RHI, red sky and NAMA etc. Even old Tories like Ken Clarke see Mays pact with DUP as dangerous to the GFA, which she is internationally bound to uphold.
@M Bowe: If SF care about brexit they will vote on it in Westminster. Its that simple.
@frank sullivan: frank sullivan ( aka Tommy MacDonagh aka Leo Lowbrowe) the resident troll at it again.
Auld Boris doesn’t want a hard border, that must hurt. I suggest you lay off the sherry, it’s a bit early man
It all makes sense now, just scroll down a bit…..
http://www.thejournal.ie/drugs-recreational-poll-3693055-Nov2017/
@Shane Molloy: If SF care they will vote on brexit. Balls in their court… tick tock
@frank sullivan: The brexiteers will tell you that the vote that matters happened last year. Perhaps, the British Government could change their “democracy” to respect the votes of the Irish people. PLease tell me how the vote is going to go without SF, then with SF, will it change the result?
@frank sullivan: I was expecting more. So much more.
You dissapoint me greatly.
Boris – the cutest hoor of them all.
@Etherman: delete the word ‘cutest’ and you’ve got it right
The only time i wish we had one is too keep out Mr Johnstone.
@David Dineen: We could always suggest a swap, Coveney to them, no hard border for us…….
They just don’t get it. They are the ones pulling the plug so it is up to them to put in place the mechanism for an open border, The easiest solution is for the UK to dump Northern Ireland which I think they would love to do as it has been a thorn in their side since day one. Why can’t NI become a British territory like the Isle of Man or the Channel Isles? They could then still be part of the EU and of Britain. I’m not sure how it works. But I am fed up with all the rhetoric coming from the UK and no hard and fast tangible plan HOW they are going to do it. It’s like me saying I want to bake the very best cake ever for you and it is going to be amazing but I don’t even know what ingredients I need let alone how to mix them.
@Colleen Kilbane: vast majority of folks in northern ireland don’t want to be part of a socialist republic in ireland they are as British as people are in leeds or manchester hence why the leading party in Northern Ireland is the democratic Unionist Party :)
@Colleen Kilbane: Agree 110%, it is already showing to people living in Northern Ireland that Theresa May has stitched them up over the promised one billion bung, they haven’t yet seen a penny from the tories. In any case it would have to come from British taxpayers.
You are absolutely right to say that Northern Ireland would be better off as a separate territory like the Channel Islands, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man, where they govern their own economy and laws, set taxes, raise income from investors and don’t send MP ‘s to Westminster.
@rich jezzer: Where’s this socialist Republic , if only, but your right about the Unionist majority in the North, they will follow the UK wherever it leads, they had absolutely no consideration of the effects of Brexit on the Border or the GFA when they campaigned for it, and those issues would still be secondary to any threat to their idea of their Britishness, the Republic the UK and the EU needs to work from that basis,
@rich jezzer: Socialist Republic – the blue shirts are weeping. I don’t remember 30,000 armed troops being required in Leeds or Manchester, in recent times.
@rich jezzer: socialist republic????? The last time i looked our FG overlords were right wing. In the last assembly elections the DUP got 28.1% of the vote and SF 27.9%. You may need to rethink your comment
@rich jezzer: there is a tiny minority who favour loyalism in the North and that will become a minority in the next decade. You’re precious Brexit will change a lot of minds on that count.
@rich jezzer:folks can get certain cancer drugs for free in Leeds,Manchester but not in Belfast.A monetary driven hard border is already in place when it comes funding the NHS,housing,infrastructure,employment in the 6 counties
Tragic case the other night on the Nolan Show,young woman going blind because of lack of treatment,if she moved to Britain she would be looked after,immediately,
shocking stuff.
@Deborah Behan: That demographic trend may not continue if they leave and a hard border goes up.
@rich jezzer: They’re not British. They only think that they are.
@rich jezzer:
A socialist republic? Where ever did you get that idea?
And don’t forget, the majority voted Remain in Northern Ireland.
It is so difficult to have any trust in Simon Coveney.
He is an emblem of how Fine Gael rewards dismal failure.
Has he ever even had a real job, or was he simply handed his Dad’s Dail seat?
@Colin Morris: Trust SF..
@Gerry Murphy:
Did Simon Coveney inherit his Dail seat from Sinn Fein despite never having worked a day in his life?
Was it Sinn Fein who promoted Simon Coveney despite his utterly miserable failure as Minister for Housing?
@Colin Morris:
Expert on agriculture one week, expert on housing the next and now he’s the bees knees and font of all knowledge on foreign affairs. What a guy.
From the get go the British government has said it has no interest in a hard border. This has been echoed by the Irish government and the EU leadership generally.
So a hard border seems inevitable.
Make no mistake. The Conservatives and the DUP want a hard border. They will say one thing and do another.
The biggest threat to Conservative and Unionist supremacy in the UK is the influx of EU citizens to NI.
Exiting the EU with a hard border is exactly what they need.
The only way this will be prevented is if the UK coalition government falls during negotiations.
If Britian is outside the EU and outside the customs union don’t think there will be big rush of EU citizens to move to Britian or NI…Already EU NHS staff are leaving….Only UKIP supporters see a big boom in British economy after Brexit…..
@John003: No John. I don’t see a big rush to jump on a mystery tour bus to Clacton-on-Sea – which is what this is turning into. But I agree with the rest of your comment.
@Danny Rafferty: The DUP want a hard border. I’m not sure the Conservatives give a toss about Ireland, except what they have to do to get DUP votes.
@Chris Mansfield: Conservatives frequently rely on NI unionist support at Westminster and are over-represented in government over the last 133 years as a result.
They are the most successful party on the planet at winning elections and leveraging NI support is a regular tactic.
@Danny Rafferty:
Wrong. The DUP want the best of all words and never expected Brexit to win the referendum. They know in reality that a hard border will damage people like the farmers, who are some of their key supporters, To put it bluntly, the DUP is in a bind.
When the UK thrives after the transition period is over and Ireland secceeds the remainder of its sovereignty becoming an impoverished province of the EU we will wish we followed.
@Misanthrope: are you crazy we would be in breach of so many directives and regulations and fined into space
@Thee Orson Welles: fined into space for wishing we left the EU? The future is even worse that I predict then.
@Misanthrope: We are already an EU protectorate. Just as well as we have a poor record at self rule.
@Eric De Red: Beats being a British protectorate.
Why should we in Ireland enforce a British imposed border in our country ?
How can people in the north say they are British when they were born in Ireland and are queueing up to get Irish passports ?
@eastsmer: Does it not occur to you that dual nationality is a right and there are many thousands of people around the world who claim they are entitled to hold an Irish passport due to parentage or even grandparents born in Ireland.
@Chris Kirk: Does it not occur to you that we are forced to endure and support a British imposed border within our Island.
@eastsmer: Of course it does, I live on the border don’t you know. I would miss not being able to go to Enniskillen for shopping.
@Chris Kirk: Chris how could you with dual nationality have European court rights as well as Uk rights?If they move outside the common trade area A closed border would be the only solution.Will the government veto the next round of negotiations with no borders solution I doubt it?As someone mentioned earlier they do not want immigrants and yet the country could not survive without them.
Leo needs to wake up to the fact that the tories are using Northern Ireland for their own survival at Westminster and don’t care about the Good Friday Agreement. The DUP should be set adrift and their MP’s told to sort out problems at home in preparation for Brexit. There will never be complete peace in the North until they are forced to stand on their own feet as an independent territory like the Isle of Man etc.
Meanwhile in Britain – Brexit Buyers regret in Grimsby (70% Vote Leave):
http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/grimsby-news/didnt-grimsbys-seafood-trade-more-789027
@Ruairi Gagarin: Grimsby is the classic case of buyers remorse for Brexit but still won’t admit it. They have completely messed up their town with Brexit and want an exemption from it! Ha!
Feckin shape shifting reptiles
That clown has a hard border with reality
Simon the yes man Coveney and Bungling Boris Johnson, jaysus what a right pair we have here
Now it seems that this lot are trying to kick other people’s cans down the road. I suppose that when ya get used to doing something, it takes a while to get out of the habit.
NO EU, NO DEAL! Britain must had gone long time ago!
@Ramón Nomar: Russian?
@Deborah Behan: English?
Is Boris tiny, or very far away?
Leo’s Bilateral with May, table by IKEA.
@Paul Mcnevin: No its just that the other fella is a beanpole, along with other things.
there seems to be a crazy focus on the British side of the hard border, what about the EU side. when the British leave and pursue their declared cheap food policy through imports from 3rd countries then its the EU will want to ensure that this food does not get in. Therefore the hard border.
An absolute buffoon and Boris Johnson
@Ken Pepper: Not called ‘Bojo’ for nothing.
And not to long ago who bailed out who
@Michael Maher: So? Ireland is not the first European country to be bailed out. I believe the IMF paid a visit to the UK in ’76.
At Stephens Green this am on route to a conference, got stopped on footpath by some security guy telling me and others we couldn’t pass, asked why, informed Boris Johnson was coming out of the building. by the time he actually was leaving a crowd of pedestrians had gathered. BJ on his way out of building looks up to wave…..dude we weren’t there to see you, just going about our business and rudely interrupted by the likes of you #ooaff #notcool #youmademelate
Just a reminder. Simon “I want to turn every county into Dublin” Coveny said as Taoiseach he would try and put as much immigrants over Ireland until it equaled Dublin’s size
Why are we pandering this idiot he should be banned from the Republic. Brexit is all about dividing people not uniting them.
What an idiot.
If we and Britian both refuse to impose a hard border with checkpoints….Then can’t really see the EU having the ability to impose it….
@John003: And why would we just roll over to British bullying?
We don’t want a hard border…. NI even the DUP don’t want a hard border…..Britian does not want a hard border…..Only the EU will insist on a hard border….If Britian is outside the customs union….
@John003: Perhaps you’re right, John. But let’s surmise there is no hard border and the UK allow in vast qualities of ultra-cheap meat that has been chemically treated in ways that are not permitted in the EU. They enter NI.
Where then will they go, and and what perception do other markets get of our products as a result? (How come this is so rarely mentioned? Am I merely paranoid?)
@Metassus: That is right, the Continental Europeans will quarantine Ireland and Britain from GM frankenfoods ,hormonal beef and all the lovely other imported delicacies made possible by British nostalgia/ protest vote. Anyone who imagines that smuggling isn’t going to play a factor, border or no border, is fooling themselves.
On the upside, men can grow a set of tits from eating hormonal beef and then claim some sort of gender equality.
@John003: Really, how would the UK control immigration from the EU if they don’t have a hard border between NI(UK) and the Republic (EU,) immigration was the main reason for the Brexit win,
@John003: If Ireland doesn’t comply then you can be sure that EU fines will follow. A bit like the revenue sending out a tax bill, you have to prove that you don’t owe.
@John003: The DUP say a lot of things, but I think that they would love to see a big wall built and the Republic pay for it so that they can do what they like in the north and let UK look after them.
@John003: I don’t want the below standard meat and other products dumped on the British by Trump and their magnificent deal thanks very much. If that takes a hard border so be it.
@John003: John, they know stepping outside the customers union means a hard border.
They are asking to be in and out simultaneously.
They are asking for a better deal with the EU than any member within the EU has. Why should that happen?
Now read this bit carefully.
There is no obligation for the EU to EVEN OFFER anyone a deal that would disadvantage the EU – never mind close that deal.
Read that sentence a couple of times. You can replace the letters EU with any country/state you like. It’s true the world over.
The UK is asking for a deal that would disadvantage the EU and is blaming the EU for being realistic in its negotiations.
Brexiters meanwhile talk waffle and try to deflect blame for the situation they have put themselves on someone else.
It’s not a joke, it’s not funny and Britain will never convince 27 countries to do a deal to their mutual disadvantage.
This penny is going to drop between now and December 14th.
If a deal can’t be done at that point even hard Brexiters will be unclear as to what value Theresa May brings to the process.
If May goes and the coalition doesn’t collapse, it will be hard-Brexit and hard border all they way. Just what the Conservative right and DUP actually want.
….give it 6 months an Leo and co will have us back in the commonwealth…now please stand for your national anthem….
Johnson doesn’t know his ass from his elbow, let alone anything else. He should stick to stand up.
@Ted Murray: He will be alright after a few pints….
Go Leo and Simon ! Britain’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity. The British government is weak and fractured. Kick them where it hurts. Develop our southern ports to cope with direct trade with E.U..
A great opportunity for Ireland.
Nice try Boris if we allow the UK to move into phase 2 then we lose our veto. The UK must think we really stupid.
@JJ Sharkey: we really ”are”
Boris, What an embarrassment he is for the UK. It will be our children’s children who look back at these buffoons in charge.
Dear England while you’re leaving europe can you also leave ireland as well.Thanks.
have your say