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FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER Simon Coveney said a post-Brexit trade deal is “likely” but it will not be easy.
He described talks between the EU and the UK as currently being in a “very serious zone” and said he is “under no illusion of the challenges” as they try to come to an agreement.
He said the next 10 to 14 days is the “realistic” timeline now “to complete this”.
“We’re likely to get a deal but it won’t be easy,” Coveney said.
Talks between the EU and the UK on a post-Brexit trade deal will take place in Brussels from Thursday.
The EU, led by Michel Barnier, and the UK, led by David Frost, have been meeting in London since the negotiations restarted last week.
Coveney made the comments today during a Irish Farmers’ Journal webinar.
The Fine Gael TD said the EU is working towards a “no trade deal Brexit” and there will be “no more extensions of time” when it came to the negotiations.
“There’s no such thing as a no-deal Brexit any more, what we’re now fighting for is a no trade deal Brexit which from an agricultural perspective would be hugely disruptive on many, many levels,” he said.
“We’ve got to be ready for January 1, there’s going to be no more extensions of time, no more transition periods.
“Time is up at the end of the year.”
He said there will be a new trading environment on January 1 whether or not a trade deal is reached.
“If there’s no trade deal it’ll be on the basis of WTO standards,” he said.
“If there is a trade deal that will avoid tariffs and quotas but we will still, unfortunately, have a lot of disruption to trade.”
He warned it will take “some getting used to” for many businesses and they need to prepare for January 1.
“This is a new reality, we wish it wasn’t happening but it is,” he said.
“Businesses have 65 days to get their act together.”
Coveney added: “Can we get a deal? Yes we can. This is doable but difficult.”
He said if a trade deal was not secured it would make it difficult for Irish exporters to remain competitive in the UK.
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Peter Bodkin should be aware that the trade unions and the Dail opposition parties are essentially one and the same in this context. The only real reason why the opposition (both Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein) claim to be opposed to this sale of Aer Lingus is in order to curry favour with the trade-unionist barons in Ireland, just as Fianna Fail did in the old days when the union barons were allowed to run the country, and run it into the ground. It appears that there would be no change in this disastrous approach from Fianna Fail, should they get into power, under the leadership of Micheal Martin.
Couldn’t agree more John B, it was Fianna Fáil who privatised Aer Lingus in the first place.
They will get into bed with any faction, no matter how bad, if they think it would give them any chance of getting back into Government. A despicable Party that should be consigned to history.
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