PM pledges no‘ physical border’ with North but, yet again, fails to give key details
THERESA May appeared to signal that border posts will not return to the North – but was once more criticised for failing to offer any clear detail on how this can be avoided.
In her speech in Florence, the British prime minister said neither the UK nor the Republic of Ireland would accept ‘any physical infrastructure’ at the border in what appeared to be a reference to the return of border posts.
Mrs May said: ‘The UK government, the Irish government and the EU as a whole have been clear that through the process of our withdrawal we will protect progress made in Northern Ireland over recent years – and the lives and livelihoods that depend on this progress.
‘As part of this, we and the EU have committed to protecting the Belfast Agreement and the Common Travel Area and, looking ahead, we have both stated explicitly that we will not accept any physical infrastructure at the border.
‘We owe it to the people of Northern Ireland – and indeed to everyone on the island of Ireland – to see through these commitments.’
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar gave Mrs May’s speech a ‘cautious welcome’ but called for more detail.
EU’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier took a tougher stance and said the UK needed to clearly outline how its withdrawal from the EU will not hurt Ireland.
He said: ‘Today’s speech does not clarify how the UK intends to honour its special responsibility for the consequences of its withdrawal for Ireland.
‘Our objective is to preserve the Good Friday Agreement in all its dimensions, as well as the integrity of the Single Market and the Customs Union.’
There are doubts in Irish Government circles as to whether Britain knows what to do about customs, tariffs and trade thereafter between North and South.
Mr Varadkar, speaking during a visit to the border region, said there were positive elements to Mrs May’s Florence speech but said more detail is needed.
He said: ‘I think I’d give the speech a cautious welcome, I think it is a genuine effort by the prime minister to move things along and make progress.
‘I’m particularly happy with the reference to issues that are of real importance to Ireland such as the Peace Process, the Good Friday Agreement, making sure there is no physical infrastructure on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland but we will, of course, need further clarity and further understanding as to how a transition period might work.’
He said he was happy to hear Mrs May propose a two-year transition period that would allow for a smoother departure for Britain from the EU and said he would discuss this when he meets her in London on Monday.
Stephen Donnelly, the Fianna Fáil spokesman on Brexit, said he believed a hard Brexit remains on the table, despite a change in Mrs May’s tone in Florence.
He said: ‘Today’s speech contained some welcome elements including a commitment to protect the Good Friday Agreement, the Common Travel Area and the realisation that a transition period is required.
‘This transition period would be vital for Irish business and farmers.
‘Unfortunately, the speech also reinforced prime minister May’s commitment to a “hard” Brexit by restating that the UK would be leaving the Customs Union and the Single Market. It offered very little progress towards realistic solutions.
‘Staying in the Customs Union remains off the table, and with that, a workable solution for an open border with Northern Ireland. The EEA model has also been disposed of, alongside a Canadian-style agreement.’
The British-Irish Chamber of Commerce also welcomed Mrs May’s commitment to a transition period but also called for greater clarity on how Britain and the EU would interact after Brexit.
It said: ‘A lot of hard work is going to be needed on all sides if we are to achieve the partnership vision that the prime minister has outlined. This is especially true if we are to have a frictionless border on the island of Ireland.’
Irish Farmers’ Association president Joe Healy said Mrs May’s speech was disappointing and did not address IFA concerns about the future trading relationship between the EU and the UK.
Mr Healy said: ‘The most straightforward means of keeping the current border arrangements, and minimising the disruption to trade between the EU and the UK, is to agree a trading relationship that does not require customs and regulatory checks.’
‘We owe it to the people’ Varadkar to meet PM on Monday