TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THERESA
Varadkar warns PM he wants Brexit deal ‘in principle’ next month
THERESA May told Leo Varadkar yesterday she will make new proposals on the post-brexit border but offered nothing in writing, the Taoiseach confirmed.
Speaking after two days of talks with EU leaders in Austria, Mr Varadkar said other states offered him their full support in the talks.
And he warned on the critical border issue: “Time is running out.”
The Taoiseach added: “All of the EU leaders... gave me their absolute support in standing behind Ireland, saying an agreement that doesn’t work for Ireland doesn’t work for the EU.
“Next step is further negotiations with a view to the next summit to be held in October and then a summit after that in November.”
He revealed he would want a deal “in principle” next month so it can be formalised at the following meeting. Mr Varadkar added: “Time is running out, people need to know what is going to happen after March 29.
“I really think we have to redouble and intensify our efforts.”
The Fine Gael leader reiterated the emergency “backstop” solution for the Irish border after Brexit had to be “workable and legally operative”. He said he was waiting for a new proposal to come from London.
The Taoiseach added: “Nobody is trying to dispute the constitutional status of Northern Ireland.
“We need to get away from the idea of anyone trying to create a border between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Leo Varadkar with Jean-claude Juncker and Juri Ratas That’s not the EU’S objective.” He said the European Union was reworking the existing backstop proposal by the bloc to say agriculture and phytosanitary checks would be the only physical controls that would need to take place.
He also spoke in favour of offering London a declaration as detailed as possible on post-brexit ties. While he said the remaining EU states did not want to punish Britain, they were determined to defend their single market.
The Taoiseach added: “The whole Brexit project is full of risks. I believe we can come to a deal between the European Union, including Ireland, and the UK. But of course that deal has to go through the British parliament, the European Parliament.
“There are risks at all steps of this.” Theresa May