Taoiseach bids to reassure unionists over draft deal

LEO Varadkar has said the draft Brexit agreement could present economic benefits for Northern Irish business.

Speaking at a special Press conference last night, the Taoiseach said that if the trading arrangements envisaged in the draft agreement were embraced, they could “represent a genuine economic opportunity for Northern Ireland businesses, with unfettered access to both Great Britain and EU markets”.

He added that the trading arrangements proposed in the draft text during the transition period are very welcome for all Irish businesses trading with the UK, with the UK land bridge facilitating the route from Ireland to mainland Europe.

Earlier yesterday, during Leader’s Questions, Mr Varadkar moved to reassure unionists, noting it was a “difficult time” and saying he was dedicated to restoring a power-sharing Executive in Stormont.

He added later that the Irish Government was no threat to their identity and was keen to solidify relations.

“We both want to build ever deeper bilateral relations and to help secure the restoration of power-sharing institutions in Northern Ireland,” the Taoiseach said.

“I want to repeat my message of earlier today to unionists — our approach is not intended in any way as a threat to you, or to your identity.

“Our goal is simply to protect the peace and the Good Friday Agreement from any unintended or undesirable consequence.

“The draft withdrawal agreement states in black and white that Ireland and the EU fully respect the constitutional status of Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom, and that this can only change if the majority of people in Northern Ireland want it.” Mr Varadkar acknowl-

edged that he had not spoken to DUP leader Arlene Foster yesterday, but said he was aware of her earlier statements in Westminster in which she labelled the Irish Government “aggressive”.

“There are sensitivities there and I certainly heard what Arlene had to say today,” he said.

“The DUP is the DUP, it’s a unionist party, it’s not going to be told what to do by the Irish Government — but the door is always open and the phone is always on.

“I am always willing to speak to her or anyone in the DUP to offer any clarifications or any assurances that they may wish to have.”

Mr Varadkar is to meet with Sinn Fein, SDLP, Alliance and the Green Party today.

Meanwhile, Michel Barnier has said the UK and European Union have already got the basis for a future trade deal, as he welcomed a “decisive, crucial step” in the Brexit talks.

The EU’s chief negotiator set out the proposals thrashed out in protracted talks with the UK, including measures aimed at avoiding duties and quotas through a customs deal.

The envisaged close future relationship would make it “feasible” to strike a quick trade deal, he suggested.

At a news conference in Brussels, Mr Barnier also set out the contentious Northern Ireland backstop aimed at avoiding a hard border with Ireland if there is no wider deal:

• If there was no final agreement at the end of the transition in 2020, there would be an “EU-UK single customs territory”.

• Northern Ireland would therefore remain in the same position as Britain, avoiding a customs border in the Irish Sea.

• Northern Ireland will remain aligned to the single market rules that are essential for avoiding a hard border.

• The UK would apply the EU’s customs code in Northern Ireland and would allow Northern Ireland businesses to bring goods in to the single market without restrictions.

Mr Barnier said the draft agreement made clear Northern Ireland would retain “unfettered market access to the rest of the UK”.

“For competition to be open and fair in such a single customs territory we have agreed provisions on state aid, competition, taxation, social and environmental standards,” he said.

“This will guarantee that both EU and UK manufacturing will undoubtedly compete on a level playing field.

“An essential condition for the single customs territory to cover fisheries and aquaculture products will be to agree between the European Union and the UK on access to waters and fishing opportunities.”

Turning to the declaration on the future relationship, Mr Barnier said it proposed an “ambitious partnership, which we want, which is a free trade area based on regulatory and customs co-operation, in depth and with a level playing field”.

“Our objective is to abolish customs duties and quotas for all goods based on what we are proposing in the withdrawal agreement — a single customs territory,” he said.

There would be a new agreement on fisheries and sectoral agreements in transport and energy.

The future relationship would also cover justice, security and foreign policy co-operation.

He indicated it could be possible to agree the final trade deal within the transition period, due to expire at the end of 2020, although it may be possible for that to be extended.

“I don’t think that these agreements will need as much time as were needed for other trade agreements with countries which were much further away in regulatory terms, in terms of standards, and also geographically,” he said.

“I think that it is feasible to construct the essentials of this future partnership within this short transition period, because we have got the basis.”

Mr Barnier said it was an “option” for the transition period to be extended by common agreement, but “we haven’t fleshed out” how that could be done.

Mr Barnier refused to be drawn on what would happen if MPs in the House of Commons rejected the Brexit deal.

“The British discussion is very stimulating but I won’t make any comments,” he said.

“Mrs May said this is the best possible agreement in the current circumstances.”

Page one of the 585-page draft agreement