Davis ‘buffer zone’ idea is like ‘something out of Alice in Wonderland’
A PROPOSAL by UK Brexit Secretary David Davis for a 16km ‘buffer zone’ and joint EU and UK status as a solution the Northern Ireland Border problem has been met with derision on both sides of the Irish Sea.
The idea was compared in Government circles here to the demilitarised zone dividing Korea and by one British opponent of Brexit as “like something out of Alice in Wonderland”.
It also came in for serious criticism from the DUP with MP Sammy Wilson accusing the British government – which relies on his party to stay in power – of putting forward “half-cooked” ideas for the Border.
The British Cabinet is divided on how to solve the issue, with some, led by Theresa May, favouring some form of Customs partnership with the EU.
Others, including Mr Davis, have put forward so-called maximum facilitation or ‘max fac’ proposals involving technological solutions.
Both approaches have been met with scepticism by the EU.
The latest plans being drawn up by Mr Davis emerged in a leak to the ‘Sun’ newspaper and appear to indicate he is moving away from a technological solution.
It would involve allowing Northern Ireland to operate UK and EU regulations at the same time, similar to the set-up in Liechtenstein which uses both Swiss and European Economic Area regimes.
The idea of the buffer zone is to allow local traders such as dairy farmers to operate freely.
The Government here has not responded directly to the idea but stressed it is waiting on the official proposals from Mrs May’s government. It reiterated the importance of the so-called ‘backstop’ agreement reached in December.
This would see regulatory alignment remaining on both sides of the Border in the absence of an overall Brexit agreement.
Privately government sources dismissed Mr Davis’s idea with one saying that a buffer zone is still a border and comparing it to “one between North and South Korea”.
It was suggested that if such proposal was put forward, it would be “dead on arrival”.
In a statement, a Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said: “At this stage in the process, the UK must engage in a more detailed way on the draft text of the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, including the backstop. The engagement must be through the formal negotiation with the Task Force, led by Michel Barnier.”
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said he wouldn’t comment on leaks to the UK media. He said the Government was keen to hear from Mrs May and pointed out that she had pledged that there would be no hard Border. Mr Flanagan also insisted that from the Government’s perspective there would be “no departure” from the ‘backstop’ agreement.
Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty said the Government was looking forward to the UK’s official proposals to the EU taskforce. She said: “We’ll sit down then as a union of 27 and negotiate.”
DUP MP Sammy Wilson described Mr Davis’s proposal as “convoluted”.
He said it wasn’t discussed with the pro-Brexit DUP and at first examination it “appears to be, at best, contradictory”.
Mr Wilson claimed a technological solution to the Border was still possible. He argued that it was time for Mrs May’s government to “put down its foot and make it clear to EU negotiators that the prime minister stands by her commitment that no deal is better than a bad deal”.
Fianna Fáil’s Brexit spokesperson Lisa Chambers said it was not clear what was being proposed, but said: “I don’t see howitcouldwork.”
She branded the so-called ‘max fac’ solutions to the Border as “pie in the sky, fairytale stuff ”.
The plan was also criticised in Britain. The Liberal Democrats Brexit spokesman Tom Brake said: “Tory plans are sounding like something out of Alice in Wonderland.”