Border group put local case to Verhofstadt
THE local ‘Border Communities Against Brexit’ group met with the European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator during his fact finding mission to Ireland last week.
Guy Verhofstadt travelled to the border area, where he met a number of local representatives, including the award winning Border Communities Against Brexit group, who are campaigning on behalf of people and businesses in this area.
A spokesman for the group said: ‘ We are pleased with our talks with Guy Verholfstadt and his team. They certainly have done a lot of work and research into the effects of a hard border and realize that it would be impossible.’
‘Mr Verholfstadt is very highly respected in the EU parliament as their coordinator on Brexit, his recommendations to the Parliament on Brexit will be pivotal as EU parliament has a veto on the final Brexit deal with the UK.’
The spokesman added: ‘ Our engagement with him on the risks to peace, the very damaging economic fallout out of Brexit, the rights of EU citizens living in the north, as well as the huge implications to sectors who export to the EU dependent on EU licenses such as the financial, the chemical and pharmaceutical sector.’
He added: ‘ The agriculture and agri food sector would suffer enormous damage if Brexit was to proceed as the British government has outlined in their paper and Mr Verholfstadt recognizes this and wants a unique deal for the North to remain within the customs union and the single market. This proposal though must come from the British government.’
The group are set to travel to Westminster in November to lobby British MP’s, Peers and Ministers.
He said a hard border would be a ‘disaster for the citizens, businesses, farmers, for everybody,’ and added that the onus on finding a workable solution to the Irish border problem post-Brexit remains firmly with the UK government.
He also suggested Northern Ireland remaining in the customs union and single market post-Brexit could provide a resolution.
The EU co-ordinator said ‘enabling the region to retain such status, even if the rest of the UK leaves the customs union and single market,’ might be the way to avoid a hardening of the border.
But he warned that he hadn’t seen a ‘workable solution’ to the border problem put forward by the UK side.
Meeanwhile, Louth TD Declan Photo credit Pat Cunningham
Breathnach spoke in the Dail to welcome Guy Verhofstadt.
‘Let there be no mistake Brexit has the potential to derail so many of the gains of this island and we must not allow this to happen.’ A tailored solution taking into account the very unique circumstances of this is required.
He added: ‘ The commitment to continue both the INTERREG and PEACE programmes (which provided 3.5 billion) to our economy over the last 20 years is worrying. While there is recognition that they will continue to 2020 the many communities, agencies and participants of these programmes need immediate certainty that these funds that embed
peace will not be reduced or lessened.
He called for a detailed study of the potential implications of Brexit for reconciliation. ‘Allied to this is the psychological impact identified that Brexit that will further affect many families in the North and along the border corridor.’
Mr. Verhofstadt tweeted after his visit: ‘I’m happy to listen to the concerns raised by the Border Communities Against Brexit.’
He added: ‘ The Irish border and all things related to it, are a priority in the Brexit negotiations. ‘Europe wouldn’t be half of what it is today without dynamic countries like Ireland, who have dealt with complex border and identity issues.’