Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Ireland insists May keep pledge on Brexit border

Published 15/10/2018, 09:50
Updated 15/10/2018, 09:50
© Reuters. Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Coveney speaks during a news conference in Dublin

© Reuters. Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Coveney speaks during a news conference in Dublin

LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - Ireland insists British Prime Minister Theresa May makes good on commitments to provide a "backstop" plan to ensure Brexit does not create a disruptive hard border with Northern Ireland, Ireland's Foreign Minister said on Monday.

Speaking as he arrived to meet fellow EU ministers in Luxembourg, Simon Coveney told reporters he was frustrated but calm after Brexit negotiations stalled on Sunday and said that he believed a deal was still possible after a summit this week.

"For us it's about following through on the commitments that have already been made," he said. "We're not looking for anything new here, we're simply looking for the commitments that were made last December, and in particular last March, to be followed through on."

"I think we are frustrated, but we're still pretty calm about that," Coveney said when asked if he was frustrated by the breakdown of talks, which came after renewed British refusal to accept a backstop that would create a customs border between Northern Ireland and the mainland if no better deal were found.

"Time is moving on, ratification mechanisms are going to take time," Coveney said, noting the urgency to reach a deal well before Britain leaves the European Union in March.

"I think there was a real effort over the last 10 days by the two negotiating teams to intensify engagement so that they could have a set of recommendations for political leaders this week," he said. "That hasn't proven possible.

"That is frustrating and disappointing from an Irish perspective."

© Reuters. Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Coveney speaks during a news conference in Dublin

"For us we want to see an outcome here that settles nerves, that allows us to move ahead with a managed, sensible Brexit. I still think it's possible to do that, but clearly it's going to take a bit more time than many people had hoped."

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.