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TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has warned the UK that the EU will have the upper hand in post-Brexit trade talks.
In a footballing analogy, he warned that the EU has a “stronger team” because of its far larger population and market in comparison.
Varadkar also suggested that Prime Minister Boris Johnson may run out of time to get a trade deal signed before the end of the year when the transition period finishes.
The Taoiseach spoke to the BBC ahead of meeting with the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Dublin today.
Varadkar and Minister for European Affairs Helen McEntee are meeting Barnier today in government buildings.
They will discuss implementing the Irish protocol as part of the withdrawal agreement, which sets out to prevent a hard border, guarantee citizens’ rights and protect the Good Friday Agreement.
The meeting is taking place just days before the UK formally leaves the EU this Friday.
“The European Union is a union of 27 member states. The UK is only one country. And we have a population and a market of 450 million people,” Varadkar said.
The UK, it’s about 60 [million]. So if these were two teams up against each other playing football, who do you think has the stronger team?
Johnson has repeatedly ruled out requesting an extension to the transition period, during which the UK abides by EU rules, past 31 December.
But Varadkar, whose talks with Johnson were seen as key in securing a breakthrough on the exit pact, questioned whether it would be possible to negotiate a full trade deal in time, saying “it will be difficult to do this”.
And he warned against any attempt by the UK to broker parts of a deal over time with the EU.
“When I hear people talk about piecemeal, it sounds a bit like cake and eat,” he said.
“That isn’t something that will fly in Europe.”
With reporting by Orla Dwyer.
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Is he intent on rising our biggest trade partner constantly? They are leaving Lieo. You can ease off now. You’ve served Brussels well. Job there for you when the Irish give you the boot.
@Willy Mc Entire: he’s a one trick pony! Brexit, Brexit, f’n Brexit. He’s playing this for votes, if anyone is dumb enough to fall for it?
@Dom Layzell: I’m no fan of Leo, but do you honestly think Michael Martin or Mary Lou would have done better. FF negotiated our country into the ground and SF have never achieved anything of substance. (Apart from the GFA and that wasn’t even her).
@Fred the Muss: He couldn’t hold himself in a debate against Mehole for god sake. Just like his predecessor before him, It scares me to think he supposedly defends our interests on a global stage. SF have been negotiating against a party of utter bitterness and intransigence for decades and have become quite versed in it. They know how to build a good negotiating team, of which I’m sure Pearse Doherty would be an integral part of. He’d do an invinetly better job than those other 2 Charlton’s.
Just like the EU had the upper hand when imposing an interest rate of 5.8% on our imposed bailout of 85 billion euro. FG and FF know all about taking one for the team, especially when the opposition is their own people.
@Fred the Muss: Mary Lou ye Martin no
@Fred the Muss: Yes they would because it was coveney in the background saving Leo…If SF can negotiate with DUP then they can with anyone… Jeezz be easier to talk to Iran than DUP…
@Willy Mc Entire: The EU are our biggest trade partner. We do more trade with the U.S. than we do with the U.K.
Believe it or not, we do more trade with Belgium than we do with the U.K.
@Sean Fahey: no point in dealing in the facts Sean!!!
@Sean Fahey:
IRELAND is Britain’s fifth largest export market behind the US, Germany, Holland and France, while the Republic imports more from the UK than any other country in the world.
That paragraph is copied and pasted.
Lieo continues to destroy our dependent relationship with UK trying to be the big man with election imminent.
But you defend your beloved FFG…
@Willy Mc Entire: responsibility for all this is with TD who accepted b lenihans statement that terms of his deal with eu imf and cost to ir people and what done with loan into public fund NONE OF DAIL BUSINESS AND NONE OF OURS and voted to pass leg taoiseach required to admin terms in conjunction with eu commission latest being legislation giving min access to pension fund again to top up that public fund containing tax but also loan amount left completely to taoiseach by dail td and out of which interest bein paid and salaries etc this is the mandate they are all coming to people with. In essence u approve decision made in eleven to elect taoiseach with no condition that he lay a bill before dail requesting it permission to accept terms and charge public fund with loan and costs. U are being asked to vote a td into dail on mandate his choice that dail has no control over fund and ok to min to use prsi cint if overspend.
That choice of ts despite ruke one in const govt account to dail. We do not elect parties or party leaders or govts. We elect td to dail that has power under const they elect taoiseach who appoint min who form executive arm of state with function set out in const. A function of dail is to elect taoiseach and they can attach terms.
That min lay the deal before the dail in short exercise mandate they were elected on last time but chose not to and result prsi topping up that fund
@The Quare Fella: that realky where people mind should be focused cis that is mandate ts are seeking that we approve their decision to elect taoiseach with no condition that his min for finance lay the deal lenihan before dail req dail permission to approve terms abd charge public fund for this program. Result they are seeking that mandate, after passing legislation giv min for finance access to prsi funds to top that public fund up contain that loan and paying out that interest with no legislation and their salaries. Not working
Who is this man Varadkar sure he will be gone in a month?
@Paul Mc: but he can’t help himself, keeps playing with the Brexit card, “upper hand”! He must really really think people are thick!
@Dom Layzell: people are if they vote for him
@Paul Mc: leo is right in this the uk is on the path to being wrecked usa will pressure it to bits while the eus favorite word will be no, fine geal is still a rottenparty responsible for the housing health and smearing of climate action with theodious carbon tax regressive by far
@Dom Layzell: Upper hand is such a stupid way to put it. He should be talking about how talks will be amicable and looking for the best outcome etc.
@Aidan: I agree Aidan, he’s playing this one up manship game, trying to be the strong guy against the Brits! Like you say, he should be looking for the best outcome!
@Aidan: the whole gameplan from the outset for the UK government was one upmanship. The very same was peddled constantly in their press. Their negotiators behaved the same way. It’s all they understand! Theýre minting 50p pieces over there and having a whip round to get big Ben tolling and you’re giving out about Leo?? I’m no fan of his and I will not vote FFG but what he said is correct and factual. Nothing more.
Leo playing the EU hit man, AGAIN.
Negotiation will take place between the EU and GB. The EU will not ask us for any input at all. When finalised Leo, if he is still there, will do exactly as he is told.
@John Farrant:
Give us a break Leo. You’re only a lackie for the EU… Trying to latch onto their coat tails to try and get a few extra votes… Pathetic.
@John Farrant: We are the EU.
@John Farrant: are u sure as far as eu is concerned brexut cost are not exceptional circumstances for purposes of the governance treaty that we people mandated govt td elect to comply with in 23 referendum why do u think they keep on going on about it fir fun. Why do u think your td passed leg let min use prsi contribution.
The EU always had the upper hand. They are the senior partner.
This fella couldn’t hold himself in a debate against mehole, to think he is on a global stage “protecting” our interests and ensuring our sovereignty is frightening actually.
Leo is correct. The EU does have the upper hand against UK, what he likes to ignore is that Ireland does not.
Ireland/UK economies are intrinsically linked and if the UK goes down the drain, Ireland will be dragged with it. Our continental mates will feel far less and don’t believe for one second they will send lifeboats to help Ireland out!
@Wreck Tangle: France and Germany are also fairly connected to the UK economy. The UK is in a worse position after brexit Ireland still has all of its trade deals with everyone the UK will loose everything. There are parts of our economy dependent on the UK but there are parts that aren’t I don’t think it’ll be too bad for us comparatively
@Simon Fusco:
The truth is no one knows what will happen. Dara O’Briain summed up Brexit nicely as a slow moving train that’s going to smash through a wall where no one really knows what is behind it.
Ireland should be sitting on the fence and work with all parties to negotiate the best solution. Attacking the UK in public serves no one but Leo’s ego! Boris has a fickle character and goading him is unproductive!
He can’t count either, the EU will have around 433 million after Brexit because the UK has 67 million, not “about 60″ as he rather inaccurately put it.
The bigger team doesn’t have Fish, the City or a land bridge to Ireland. It doesn’t have 42% exports to the UK as Ireland do. It does send £300 billion of EU exports to the UK and are losing £18 billion a year in contributions. The UK only export £180 billion of products to the EU, a massive £120 billion a year deficit. They can buy beef, fruit and veg, wine, machinery, cars, telecoms etc from anywhere in the world. So this could reduce dramatically without a deal.
Leo the paper tiger is trying to big himself up for the Irish electorate and looking foolish. He should protect Ireland from the EU and UK, not take sides. Ireland is too close to the UK to pee them off and they walk away, no deal.
@John Stretton: yes quite right John. EU has a massive trade surplus into the UK so a deal will happen. No thanks to Vradkar though. EU puppet. Technocrat. Gobs!@te.
Someone stitch his mouth shut or give him a joint. Leave it alone leo.
Shut up Leo your not fit to tie borris Johnson’s shoe laces and that’s not saying much
@Damien Barton: he’s a complete fool!
@Damien Barton: What? You need to have a lie down son.
@Fred the Muss: why so you think Leo is a better politician than borris ? If you do may be you could do with a little nap yourself
I should very well hope they do. How would the UK have the upper hand against Europe?
Would you really want Mary Lou negotiating on your behalf with the UK? If they say no to her will she resort to violence???
@Frank Discussion: The whiff of desperation off ya
@Frank Discussion: that has to be the stupidest comments i have ever read on here.
@Conan Campbell: You must be in a desperate state if you support SF.
Not the governments fault.
@Frank Discussion: childish comment.
Maybe, But you will not be in office ,
Out of touch with the people, out of Government.
Like boris is gonna listen to him
Yawn yawn yawn
It’s Brexit Boris who’s the bigger boleaux!
He and his merry cult of misguided chancers just don’t seem to realize that EU can and will seek alignment between its high standards on employment, environment, citizen’s rights, food safety, before any future trade deals are cut.
For how long can Westminster continue to ignore the voices (now) of about 60% of its population seeking to remain in EU. The next 11 months should be interesting to see how things unfold with Boris at the helm, and to see can inevitable louder calls for a second Referendum be heeded.
@Rory J Leonard:In 5 days time the UK will no longer be in the EU so there will be no louder calls for a second Referendum, the next step is negotiating a trade deal before the end of the transition period or it will be wto
@Rory J Leonard: What part of the December election result did you not understand? Boris has a majority of 81. It would have been over 100 if Farage had not split the Brexit vote.
All very purile.
Vote Sinn Fein or the Irish freedom party or Gemma O’Doherty
What an idiot. Is he eyeing up a job in Brussels. The UK won’t even consider Ireland if they believe morons like him will continue slinging mud at them.
Leo trying to cause a storm that’s all as he know he is gone in feb and he should not be comment on Brexit at all as that’s you to the new government not him. Shit stir the pot get it in your head leo your out. VOTE SINN FEIN.
Re: The footballing analogy, the UK has a 2-0 aggregate lead from the first leg in 1973, though they did have Johnny Giles and some Danish fella with them:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4360240/How-football-celebrated-Europe-unity-Wembley-match.html
Mary Lou wishing she was barred from tonight’s debate lol quoting fg policies no answer to any question asked. Cringe fest but good TV. Love how incompetent she is .The other parties must be hoping she stays leader forever . Did she sign the pledge ?? Oh sorry nvr answered anyway popcorn on back to it enjoy folks
@Colm Curran: btw note to self greens coming outa this debate v well
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