Ross accused by FF of going ‘absent without leave’ over threat from Brexit
SHANE Ross still hasn’t met his UK counterpart to discuss the consequences of Brexit – nine months after Britain voted to leave the EU.
Responding to Dáil questions from the Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy, Mr Ross also admitted that he had not yet met with any of his European counterparts.
Furthermore, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport declined to outline any plans to meet his UK and European counterparts in the immediate future.
Mr Troy told the Irish Mail on Sunday that he was ‘simply aghast at the ongoing absence of Mr Ross from the political front line’. Brexit, he said, ‘affects us like no other EU country and it also affects one of the most important and sensitive peace settlements in Europe, the Good Friday Agreement.’
Mr Troy added that Ireland is ‘the only European country that has a land boundary with the UK. We, not Europe, will be dealing with checkpoints, immigration and customs and excise.’
Mr Ross said that he had not yet ‘had the opportunity to meet with my UK counterpart or my other EU counterparts’.
However, he added: ‘There is regular, ongoing engagement and contact at all levels involving my department in order to plan for and mitigate the risks associated with Brexit and to identify opportunities arising.’
A spokesperson for his department said: ‘Minister Ross has not yet had the opportunity to meet the European Commissioner or his UK counterpart since the British referendum on Brexit.
‘The minister is kept up to date on developments and emerging positions.’
Mr Troy was somewhat less than convinced, however, commenting: ‘This minister isn’t even there. He is engaging in the political equivalent of being absent without leave.
‘The “I want to be alone” act would be described as astonishing; instead, it is typical of his nonperformance and laissez-faire attitude to everything, from Bus Éireann to Brexit.’