Britain can’t have ‘the best of everything’ on Brexit, says Enda

A HARD Brexit will have a catastrophic effect on Ireland, former taoiseach Enda Kenny has said.

Mr Kenny said the transition period for Britain to leave the European Union may have to be extended beyond its two-year period in order to facilitate negotiations.

He made the remarks during an interview with Bloomberg TV in New York, ahead of Matheson Solicitor’s Accessing EU Markets Post-Brexit event in the city.

Speaking about the Good Friday Agreement, he said it has ‘got to be preserved in all its entities’ throughout the Brexit negotiations as ‘we are not having a return to a hard border with customs posts because that brought with it sectarianism previously’.

He said there can’t be a decision where Britain will have ‘the best of everything’ and that the border with the North was one of the key issues which had to be looked at in the negotiations.

He also said a hard Brexit ‘would be catastrophic in many cases’.

‘Obviously in the case of Ireland as closest to Britain, it would be very detrimental indeed.

‘But politics has got to come into play here. And when politicians are faced with deadlines, and they are faced with the reality of what might happen, things click into place. That is why a transition period is essential.

‘Britain is expected to leave in March of 2019, the talks will not be concluded by then.

‘You need a transition period, this is being talked about. It might have to be much longer than two years.’

Speaking ahead of the event, Mr Kenny also said: ‘The prospect of a hard Brexit that many are now discussing would, in my opinion, be catastrophic for business and by extension terrible for the people that politics is meant to serve.

‘That is the challenge now for those involved directly in the ongoing talks.’