Varadkar: No changes to the backstop
TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar yesterday insised the backstop clause in the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement will not be changed.
Speaking in the Dail, he said even in the case of the UK leaving the EU without a deal, the country will make all and any other preparations to enforce the backstop outside of a hard border.
He told TDS: “In respect of no deal, we are making preparations at the ports and airports.
“We have control of land that we need at Rosslare and Dublin.
“We have control of Dublin Airport and will be able to enforce the acquisition if we need to at the ports and airports.
“In respect of land borders, I have said many times in this House that we are not making any preparations for physical infrastructure, controls or checks on the land border.
“As I have said before, that does create a real dilemma and a real problem for us.
“In the event of no deal, the UK will have obligations under the World Trade Organisation and we will have obligations to protect our Single Market and Customs Union, of which we will continue to be a full part.
“That would create a dilemma for both countries and for the EU.
“Therefore the only solution which can assure that we do not see a hard border is an agreement on customs, a common customs territory, call it what you will, and regulatory alignment between Northern Ireland and the European Union or perhaps the whole UK and the EU.
“That is what we have negotiated.” Mr Varadkar’s declaration follows a similar statement from Tanaiste Simon Coveney in Brussels on Monday.
He insisted there would be no “keyhole surgery” that might unpick any of what has already been agreed.