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.
THE PRESIDENT OF the European Commission has stressed that there will be border checks between Ireland and Northern Ireland in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
The United Kingdom would be responsible for the logistics of this border, Jean-Claude Juncker told Sky News.
There are still hopes that a deal will be agreed between the UK and the European Union ahead of the 31 October deadline.
Although frustration is growing among EU leaders at the pace of negotiations, Juncker himself said previously that it is still possible within this time frame.
With the clock ticking, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is due to meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the fringes of the UN General Assembly, which gets underway today. It will be the second meeting between the two leaders as both sides try to reach a compromise that would lead to an EU-UK withdrawal deal.
Speaking to the Sophie Ridge on Sunday programme, Juncker answered with a simple ‘yes’ when asked if there would be a border if a deal wasn’t agreed.
“I myself am not an architect of new border stations,” he said.
The British have to tell us exactly the architectural nature of this border. I don’t like it, a hard border.
Juncker said that the Good Friday Agreement must be respected ‘in all its parts’:
The situation in Ireland has improved; we should not play with this. Sometimes I have the impression that some people are forgetting about the history. But history will be back immediately.
“We have to make the sure the interests of the European Union and of the internal market will be preserved. An animal entering Northern Ireland without border control can enter the European Union without any kind of control via the southern part of the Irish island. This cannot happen. We have to preserve the health and safety of our citizens.”
Speaking to RTÉ Radio 1′s This Week programme, Minister of State for European Affairs Helen McEntee said that the checks are necessary but must not pose a threat to anyone on both sides of the border.
She said it was “extremely difficult” to predict how the single market and Ireland’s place in it, as well as the Good Friday Agreement, can be protected when no deal is on the table.
The minister said it was positive that the United Kingdom that presented working documents to the European Union on how an alternative to the backstop could function, but she has yet to see them.
“We are willing to look at any proposals that achieves the same objectives as the backstop,” McEntee added.
Boris Johnson is expected to meet with out EU heads of state at the general assembly this week.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
I have been saying that since the vote. Europe will insist the integrity of its borders are held.
@Stephen Brady: Everyone has been saying that. It’s how it’s managed is the issue, hence the whole backstop drama.
@Stephen Brady: Of course the EU insists on the integrity of its borders, what other option is there? The UK are the ones who originally created this particular border and they are the ones possibly making it a hard border again by leaving.
@Stephen Brady: https://twitter.com/i/status/1175698944644526080
@Stephen Brady:
Yes. The big difference between the past and now is that our side will be putting up border posts due to EU rules.
Our media has always done as if it would be the UK side putting up checkpoints.
@Gordon Lucas: So the UK are happy to have anything and everything cross their border and here was I thinking they want to “take back control”.
@Diarmuid Hunt: so you trust Junker and Europe? Isn’t it time that Britain and the E.E.C. stopped playing Russian roulette with people’s lives in the northern fringe of our country. Both traditions do not deserve thi s tit for tat treatment. How come this was never divulged until now? I do not trust either Britain or Europe on this issue. Particularly when lives are at stake.
@Martin O’Reilly: How did you come to that conclusion from my post. You seem to be reading between lines that aren’t there. I trust the EU more than I trust the UK, that does not mean that I fully trust them, it is all relative.
@Gordon Lucas: Wrong Both sides of the borders will have checks thats what borders are
@Martin O’Reilly: Both traditions do not deserve this tit for tat treatment. They created that way of doing politics look at Stormont.
This is the UKs fault and the DUP particularly as they want to destroy the GFA
@Diarmuid Hunt: Oh get a life you cannot grasp the realisation Juncer and his machinations will do for what in their own interest. The Brits well Ireland is a lesser place on their class minded beliefs One point I must make on comments section of this site is that we the Irish cannot seem to unite and this is and always have been our greatest failing. I care less it must be said how you decipher what I have posted as I do not want to get entangled in in an argument with individuals that I shall never see our have never been introduced too. It’s illogical.
@Martin O’Reilly: Get out the wrong side of bed this morning? You’ll never get into an argument with individuals you never shall meet or be introduced to and yet here you are. What did I read wrong?
@Martin O’Reilly: Is it that you want people to unite behind anti-EU sentiment or pro-EU sentiment? It’s hard to get people to unite over divisive issues, the hint is in the word divisive.
@Diarmuid Hunt: Just a a passing comment that was misinterpreted by some childish individual. I’m outa here, bye.
Of course there will be checks, we need to ensure the integrity of the Single Market and Irelands access and position in it. Anyone claiming otherwise is either lying or doesnt understand the issue.
@Ian McNally: Word in political circles is that the EU had to explain this rather forcefully a few months back to the Irish government, which had apparently put the blinkers on and were stating that there would be no hard border/border checks under any circumstances. It was explained to them if a no-deal brexit occurred and the Irish government still insisted on an open, frictionless border, then the only solution was checks on all goods from the Republic at ports of entry into the EU mainland. A total disaster for Irish exporters. It was only then that the rhetoric around ‘no hard border under any circumstances’ disappeared and we started hearing little snippets about checks well away from the border, etc.
@Tommy Roche: The Irish Government have known since the outset of Brexit that a no deal would mean a hard border. It didn’t have to be explained. Their stance was entirely political as they didn’t want to be seen to be the ones responsible for its creation. But as we approach the end game there is an inevitability to some form of hard border. What everyone should remember is that even if Ireland were not a member of the EU W would need a hard border in the emerging circumstances just to protect our own sovereignty and territories integrity. The EU angle just makes this more pressing and obvious.
@Tommy Roche: https://twitter.com/i/status/1175698944644526080
the DUP would love to see the Good Friday agreement torn up, sure they were against it from the beginning. fingers crossed Boris goes with the Irish sea border solution &protects the GFA but I wouldn’t hold my breath
@Dean Anderson: Completely …I was 5 in 1970 in Belfast, I watched the DUP, Ian Paisley and the Free Presbyterians evolve.. The most dishonest, blatantly hypocritical and sectarian party within the UK, and perhaps within Europe… A political and religious sect that obnoxiously and abhorrently looks down on what they see is anything lessor than themselves…Not just in terms of politics, religion, but in terms of humanity… From day one, they wanted the border back…No Deal Brexit offer’s a means to an end for them..regardless of the consequence, they have little concern for that…which is a good example of the people you are dealing with…The British Tory Govt are good bed-fellows with them…
@Dean Anderson: That’s actually not true, the DUP are well known for saying no to anything they don’t agree to but they signed up to GFA. And everyone on both sides were really happy with how it was working out.
@Alan Currie: Sorry Alan….WRONG !….The DUP opposed the Good Friday Agreement , in which 71.1% of the electorate were in favour…They where the only major political group in Northern Ireland to oppose it…..It’s been subsequently changed by the St Andrews Agreement, and by the Stormont House Agreement… The DUP only quote it and use it when it suits them…they would bin it in the morning due to it’s agreement, influence and guarantees with the South..Mind you, neither Arlene Foster or Boris Johnson could be trutesed to delivery christmas leas alone the GFA..
This can only end very badly
@Patrick Agnew: very very badly.
@Arya: very very very badly
@John Horan: be alri
It’s weird because the EU Commission was saying that that they would protect the Northern Ireland peace agreement over and above of the single market. Juncker said it in the Dail. The commission were saying that creating a border would create violence and the EU commission and lots of politicians have been talking up violence all the time as leverage. Now apparently they are going to put up a border in the island of Ireland. Northern Ireland has been politicized and weaponized full stop and it’s going to come back to bite everybody.
@Steve Creaton: You are not very clued in are you?
@Peter Hughes: and why am I not clued up? Do you think weaponising northern island was a clever idea? Varadkar basically thought the British government doesn’t care about NI and so used the brexit negotiations as a way of annexing NI to the republic. Also denying NI any democratic representation. This is going to end badly and anyone who thinks differently is sorely mistaken.
@Steve Creaton: Steve…the bottom line is this, as long as past, present and future Tory Govts in the UK rely on DUP and Unionist votes in Westminister , they will grant the DUP and Unionists virtually every demand..Northern Ireland means nothing to the Tories, so giving into any demands doesn’t really affect them, as it’s impact in the UK is minimal. To to keep that all in check, they must keep N.Ireland in their back pocket..feed it on farts and carry on as normal.. Its basic ABC stuff.
@Steve Creaton:
1. What’s a ‘northern island?’
2. If you think Varadkar has any great desire for NI to join ROI then you really aren’t clued in.
Trying to protect the Good Friday Agreement and keep the border open does not equate to ‘weaponising’ NI. It’s common sense.
Of course there are going to be checks. There’s checks between every country with different laws
The EU will have no qualms buying and selling us, as they have done so since accession. Like a battered wife, the danger is that Ireland may soon run back to the Brits once the penny drops and reality bites. (I seem to remember Niall Ferguson had and article out along similar lines around 2011 when he smoozed with the globalist honkeys over at Bilderberg.)
The EU, just like the EEC and EC will soon be history. A renewed push for federalisation will be top of the agenda for the new Commission.
Ireland better be careful it’s not snookered into Verhofstadt’s new EU Empire or cast back a hundred years before independence and back in bed with the “Reunited Union”.
@Rob Porter: Hmmm, maybe time to see how Isle Of Man works as they are neither members of UK or EU … but are a commonwealth country and rely on UK defence forced if needed.
@WoodlandBard: That’s some fierce west brit talk right there…
Off course there will be checks..on both sides..The Brits are only talking crap..World Trade Organisation rules dictate that checks must be on the Northern side as well… and one other quick thing, don’t fool yourself, smuggling will take place and it is big bobs for paramilitaries.. it will provide a major funding source for CIRA if a new campaign is started..which it will , given the border…Time to wake up folks and smell the bacon !
@CJ Stewart: Wake up thats been obvious from the start of it but the British have been too British to see it
Nobody wants a border except Juncker….
@Alan Currie: Juncker doesn’t want a border either, the UK are giving no other option since they turned down the WA.
@Diarmuid Hunt: Juncker is the only person insisting on it, trying to create greater tension instead of finding solutions, in a bid to stop brexit from happening. Both the UK and Ireland are content with the current arrangement and have been for many years.
@Alan Currie: if the UK were content with the current arrangement why are they insisting on brexit? Also if you cannot comprehend how a border is absolutely required to secure single market security access for us then i dont know what to tell you.
@Alan Currie: The current arrangement can no longer apply because the UK are leaving the single market, this is not about the CTA this is about regulatory differences post-Brexit. Junker is not the only person insisting on it, for all their talk about not needing a border the UK have not come up with a different solution and it is not possible to have goods flow from two different countries with different regulatory standards without checks, unless Boris pulls his magical undiscovered technological solution out of thin air then the UK will have check goods going into their country at the border aswell, to believe otherwise is naive.
Any type of border check sets up targets, even if just cameras. Any border targets will be attacked, Bojo’s increased police force will be assigned to the border, then the army, and here we go again on the hundreds of roads going from Republic to North now. What a waste!
C’mon everyone, a sea border it must be to resolve Ireland. DUP can still wave their flags and wear sash.
@WoodlandBard: You are right. it’s a paradox.
All of the best Germans in Ireland will find out exactly that we’ll be sold out yet again Enda Leo and the rest of the Franco German stormtroopers will be hung out to dry.
We always hear about maintaining the Good Friday agreement in the face of a border between NI and ROI, and the consequences for peace if it isn’t. However, I’ve never heard anybody get into detail about what that means. Will terrorists use lorries being pulled over by customs checks at the border as an excuse to blow things up? Will a large number of otherwise peaceful people support them? It sounds awfully like a threat to me.
My mate used to work for a Quinn plant in Fermanagh which would run goods to their warehouse in Cavan a dozen times a day. Can anyone offer any reasonable explanation of how this can work? Need a border poll before any hard border.
The people of the north have been used over and over by both sides. Remember the nationalists that fought for the republic in 1916 also and during the war of independence. Then we happily turned our back on them and left them for the wolves. History sadly will repeat itself here. It’s no surprise that when you push against a spring, it pushes back.
Of course there will and that will collapse businesses in the north…with nationalists (who are a majority in 4 1/2 of the 6 counties plus Belfast) saying…we wont accept becoming Zimbabwe to the rest of Ireland and demand a border poll or withdraw consent to be governed by a Britain itself in crisis. PSNI are on every day now saying ‘we can’t control this…don’t look at us’. The huge danger then is a the Brits call a border poll as a way out for them (stg10 bln less and a free island to buccaneer off to fantasy Empire II) which will a collapsing economy and empty shelves might well result in 6 counties dropped on Dublin’s lap-with no preparation done. The Derrys and Armaghs of this world will not accet a hard border and it wonlt just be a few fellas with hoods…they are the least of the problem. The real fun is about to start as Boris/Gorbacev destroys his cotry
Bus…….
Brits gonna f**k us over one more time by not getting a deal.
@Keith O’Reilly:
“EU gonna f**k us over one more time by not getting a deal”
There, fixed that for you.
@Keith O’Reilly: Leo has f****d us over by telling us there will be no hard border from day one.
Of course it will. Anybody who says otherwise is delusional or lying
@Diarmuid Hunt: so you trust Juncer and Europe? Isn’t it time that Britain and the E.E.C. stopped playing Russian roulette with people’s lives in the northern fringe of our country. Both traditions do not deserve thi s tit for tat treatment. How come this was never divulged until now? I do not trust either Britain or Europe on this issue. Particularly when lives are at stake.
have your say