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TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has hailed the agreement reached between the UK and the EU for avoiding a hard border in Ireland.
Varadkar, who has played a key role during the Brexit talks as wrangling continued over the Northern Ireland backstop, said that the agreement is a “good” one for Ireland.
“I think it is a good agreement for Northern Ireland and Ireland and the wider European Union,” he said.
The backstop, he added, has been replaced with a new solution in this agreement.
“The backstop has been replaced, it’s been replaced by a new solution for Northern Ireland, recognising its unique history and geography but that new solution does what we need it to do, avoids a hard border between north and south,” the Taoiseach said.
“[It] protects the all-island economy, protects the single market and our place in it and also, and we were happy to accept this, takes account of the democratic wishes of the people of Northern Ireland.
“Because we’ve always expressed the view and said we would never seek to hold Northern Ireland in an arrangement for the long-term against the will of the people there.
The agreement will now need to be approved by the House of Commons. It’s not immediately clear whether British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who currently has no majority, will be able to secure the backing of MPs for his agreement.
The DUP has already said that it will vote against the deal, which in short will see Northern Ireland inside the UK customs territory but still aligned to a set of EU rules.
After four years, MLAs in Stormont will also be able to vote by a simple majority on whether to continue with the customs and regulatory arrangements.
The EU today stressed the certainty of the deal and called the newly configured role of Stormont a “cornerstone” of the deal.
“This does now go to the House of Commons and they will consider the matter on Saturday and I think we should give them the time and space to make a decision for themselves about what they believe is the right think for the United Kingdom,” Varadkar said.
Questioned on the concessions made by the EU negotiators, Varadkar said that he had wanted a deal.
“I regret that they are leaving but we accept that they are leaving,” he said.
Varadkar and Johnson’s meeting in Wirral last week provided revived momentum ahead of the frantic, back-and-forth negotiations of recent days.
The revised version of the Withdrawal Agreement reached today just in time for a crucial EU summit being held today and tomorrow.
With reporting by Cónal Thomas
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Find out where your local election candidates stand on cannabis decriminalisation
No idea why you are being down voted?? Great link
Great link indeed. Thanks for posting.
Shouldn’t this be “Colombia”? Who wrote this- Steve Harvey?
Further information about the Colombia connection can be swallowed at the IRA/SF offices.
No this is about Colombia
*Columbia
How about Kumbaya, we’ve had everything else :p
Leo/diarmiud, is the main source of funding for your cultural ambassadors,the uda/uvf coming from jumble sales and mini marathon sponsorship cards?
Could be worse, could be doing business with the C.I.A.
Strange that the drug gangs and The Gardai keep changing tactics but the law makers and judiciary just keep handing out suspended sentences. If I stole something would I not just be able to say it is for my own use. Or if I was an arsonist would the government give me lead free petrol. Methadone is not working, cold turkey may be the only answer to get off heroin and bringing drugs into Ireland should be treated as endangering a nation with zero tolerance regardless of the poor mouth stories
Won’t do anything to help. Just punish already desperate people
John doe, that’s only if you let them out again.
That’s what they do in the USA doesn’t seem to have solved their drug problem.
Compare that to Portugal where possession is decriminalised, drug related deaths, illness and harm all reducing.
What about the elderly people being savagely attacked in their homes so that drug habits canbe fed, do they not count? If you are only doing at weekends for the craic you are contributing to the of mass fortunes of the like ,of John Gilligan and deserve what punishment you get. A drug free society may not be possible but surely it is worth a try.
Columbia, I meant to say Colombia. No no no I meant to say Phillipines. Sorry it’s the Philippines!!!!
Our government should legalise marajuna HERB FOR A START HAVE INJECTION CLINICS FIR DRUG USERS AND SLOWLY PUT U NO WHO OUT OF BUSINESS
Irishman went to Afghanistan to see if there was any craic. The mujahideen told him he had made a complete hash of the interview. He was a proper dopium!
One silver bullet….. Legalisation.
It’s COLOMBIA
have your say