Crunch talks could decide fate of border

NI’s status hangs in balance on crucial day of Brexit negotiations

THE future shape of the border hangs on a showdown in Brussels today between Theresa May and EU chiefs.

The Prime Minister hopes to convince Brussels she has a plan for north-south trade after Brexit that the Irish government will accept.

Dublin sources last night put the odds of a deal today as “less than 50%” and insisted there must be no change to cross-border trade rules.

Ahead of the summit, Arlene Foster called for a “sensible Brexit” that works for Northern Ireland.

But Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill insisted: “We are at a crucial juncture in the process, the Irish government have a veto and must demand clarity and certainty from the British government.”

THE future of the border hangs on a crunch meeting in Brussels today as Theresa May holds talks with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.

The Prime Minister hopes to convince the EU she has a plan to deal with future North-South trade that the Irish Government will accept.

Dublin sources put the odds of a deal today as “less than 50%” and said they were sticking to a red line position that there must be no change to cross-border trade rules.

“We’re not viewing today as a ‘drop dead deadline’” one source said.

But as talks go down to the wire, London was painting a more positive picture.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will be briefed on the EU response to Mrs May’s proposals this afternoon.

Mr Varadkar will then have to make the biggest call of his political career when deciding whether to accept the wording of an agreement or further stall the troubled talks.

The text of the deal, which was still being worked on last night, runs only to a few pages.

Mrs May and Mr Juncker are meeting to assess whether sufficient progress has been made on divorce issues such as the border so that Brexit trade talks can begin in phase two of the negotiations.

Speaking ahead of the Brussels meeting, Arlene Foster (right) called for a “sensible Brexit” that works for Northern Ireland.

She said that it was possible to maintain “the constitutional and economic integrity” of the UK while continuing close cross-border relations. But Sinn Fein’s Northern leader Michelle O’Neill accused the DUP of showing a “reckless disregard” for people here and called on Dublin to stand up to London and Mrs Foster’s party. The DUP leader stressed the importance of maintaining close trade links with the Republic, but again ruled out special status for Northern Ireland. “Those who have allowed this to become some sort of zero sum game, framing it as

a mutually exclusive choice between maintaining the constitutional and economic integrity of the UK and continued close cross-border relations, do us all a great disservice,” she said.

“It is up to all of us who want to see a sensible Brexit to face up to the challenge and craft a solution that works for Northern Ireland.

“A sensible Brexit will involve a comprehensive trade and customs agreement between the UK and the EU.

“It makes no sense whatsoever to move the border to the Irish Sea and make trade with our biggest market — the rest of the UK — more difficult.”

Writing in today’s Belfast Telegraph, Mrs O’Neill said that Brexit represented massive political and economic instability and called on Dublin to make its voice loudly heard.

“We are at a crucial juncture in the process, the Irish Government have a veto and must demand clarity and certainty from the British Government,” she said.

“It will be a test for the Taoiseach to stand up against the British Government, DUP and the right-wing Press if she (May) fails to bring forward certainty and clarity for citizens and businesses.

“The DUP are Theresa May’s partners in this sorry mess.

“They are showing a reckless disregard for the people who elected them for self-serving party gain in London.”

However, Tanaiste Simon Coveney yesterday stressed that the Irish Government had “no desire” to delay progress on the Brexit talks.

“We certainly don’t want to be vetoing anything,” he told the BBC.

The Republic wanted only to represent the interests of the island of Ireland, he added.

It is understood that Dublin has told Downing Street it does not require an in-depth plan for the future movement of people and goods across the border.

However, it wants “a formal commitment” that there will be no “regulatory divergence” after Brexit. “Essentially, the Irish Government is saying that when it comes to areas like agriculture, education and medicine, the status quo will remain,” a source said.

This is proving difficult for Mrs May to put in writing without the support of the DUP, which fears such a move will effectively move the border into the Irish Sea.

Mr Varadkar and Mrs May are expected to speak by phone this morning before the Taoiseach chairs a special cabinet meeting.

Along with Mr Coveney, he will then seek opinions later in the day from Irish ministers on how far to push the issue.

It is up to all of us who want a sensible Brexit to craft a solution that works for Northern Ireland