Irish PM sees fading chance of Brexit deal in November

By Philip Blenkinsop and Gabriela Baczynska

 

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar during a news conference with Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila at the Prime Minister's official residence Kesaranta in Helsinki, Finland, November 7, 2018. Lehtikuva/Antti Aimo-Koivisto via REUTERS

 

HELSINKI/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The chances of sealing a deal on Britain's withdrawal from the European Union this month are receding, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Wednesday, and the EU's Brexit negotiator called on Britain to make decisive choices.

 

EU sources have also told Reuters the bloc would need to see a breakthrough on Brexit within a week if its leaders were to endorse any deal with Britain this month.

 

The leaders had previously pencilled in a summit for mid-November to sign off on a deal with London. Negotiators from both sides, however, remain at odds over ways to guarantee there is no return of border controls on the frontier between Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland.

 

"I do think that, with every day that passes, the possibility of having a special summit in November becomes less likely," Varadkar told reporters after meeting Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila.

 

"But we do have one scheduled for the 13th, 14th of December, so not getting it done in November doesn't mean we can't get it done in the first two weeks of December. But I think beyond that you're into the New Year, which I think wouldn't be a good thing."

 

EU negotiator Michel Barnier, who also met Sipila, said it was impossible to say when the divorce talks would conclude, adding that there would be no deal without a solid fix for the Irish border.

 

"We are not there yet. The clock is ticking. The choices need to be made now on the UK side," he told reporters. "There are still important issues outstanding."

 

Brussels has proposed a "backstop" arrangement as part of the withdrawal agreement that would ensure an open border by keeping Northern Ireland inside the EU customs union and large parts of the single market. Britain has complained this would create a border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

 

"Without a backstop there will be no deal. It is as simple as that," Barnier said. "(It is) clear that more work is needed in Brexit negotiations. We remain determined to reach a deal."

 

Varadkar spoke to British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday, agreeing that any backstop should be temporary. May also told him that there would need to be a mechanism to end it.

 

On Wednesday, May also spoke to the chairman of EU summits, Donald Tusk, to discuss the next steps. EU envoys in Brussels will get an update on Friday and then ministers from the 27 states staying in the bloc after Brexit are due to meet on Monday.

 

"For me, it's always about the objective, more so than the mechanism - what are you actually trying to achieve," Varadkar said on Wednesday. "We hope that the backstop will never need to be used, it is an insurance policy."

 

Varadkar said he was willing to consider a review clause attached to the backstop, but this could not allow Britain to withdraw unilaterally and leave a hard border.

 

Varadkar and Barnier were in Helsinki to attend a two-day congress of the European People's Party.

 

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, Anne Kauranen and Gabriela Baczynska; editing by David Stamp)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-08

Far as I'm concerned..the eire govt should be on their knees thanking the UK for all the financial aid they have received over the years!!

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2 hours ago, webfact said:

Britain has complained this would create a border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

I see that as " a more to it than that " in Brexit negotiations. 

I wish Varadkar would fade, he is just a Brussel's agent.

I think what people are thinking of is the movement of goods across the border, but I see a bigger issue being movement of people, I.e. Eire welcomes refugees who then just walk across the border.

Well hardly surprising as the Tories can't even agree with themselves let alone the EU,whatever happens will not benefit the UK,and a no deal which could very well happen would be a disaster.

The Deal agreed by May and Barnier looks worse in the long term than the short term problems of a No Deal. With the latter at least we would save 39 billion Euros.

45 minutes ago, terryw said:

The Deal agreed by May and Barnier looks worse in the long term than the short term problems of a No Deal. With the latter at least we would save 39 billion Euros.

Hammond has said that even with no deal Britain would still pay in the region of £21 billion, if I remember correctly.

 

I just wish that May would face reality.  Time is really running out and she needs to ditch the wish list and get agreement on what is actually possible.  It is going to be about damage limitation rather than achieving any positives.

 

 

6 hours ago, malagateddy said:

Far as I'm concerned..the eire govt should be on their knees thanking the UK for all the financial aid they have received over the years!!

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What financial aid? Ireland has never qualified for UK aid.

 

As an Irishman I can truefully say that this fella is a nightmare he is not even Irish born. Ireland needs the U.K. more than the U.K. needs Ireland problem is due to Ireland’s past problems when they had to go to the EU for financial assistance he has now become the puppet to the puppet masters and will do what they demand. The Irish border is a good excuse to delay the U.K. leaving as it’s going to end up a financial disaster I see today that the Italy and EU stand-off is getting worse and I can see them being the next country to call it a day against these unelected dictators.

3 hours ago, Basil B said:

I think what people are thinking of is the movement of goods across the border, but I see a bigger issue being movement of people, I.e. Eire welcomes refugees who then just walk across the border.

No, it's about a customs border - goods and services. Ireland's only border is with the UK so not sure what refugees you're talking about? Though if brexit happens I suppose there could be a lot of UK refugees.

10 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

As an Irishman I can truefully say that this fella is a nightmare he is not even Irish born. Ireland needs the U.K. more than the U.K. needs Ireland problem is due to Ireland’s past problems when they had to go to the EU for financial assistance he has now become the puppet to the puppet masters and will do what they demand. The Irish border is a good excuse to delay the U.K. leaving as it’s going to end up a financial disaster I see today that the Italy and EU stand-off is getting worse and I can see them being the next country to call it a day against these unelected dictators.

You are a very unusual Irishman if in fact you are one. You are certainly a remarkably uninformed one. Hard to believe that a genuine Irish person wouldn't know this:

"Varadkar was born in Dublin and studied medicine at Trinity College Dublin. He spent several years as a non-consultant hospital doctor before qualifying as a general practitioner in 2010. In 2004, he was co-opted onto Fingal County Counciland served as deputy mayor, before his election to Dáil Éireann in 2007."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Varadkar

18 hours ago, dunroaming said:

Hammond has said that even with no deal Britain would still pay in the region of £21 billion, if I remember correctly.

 

I just wish that May would face reality.  Time is really running out and she needs to ditch the wish list and get agreement on what is actually possible.  It is going to be about damage limitation rather than achieving any positives.

 

 

Only £21billion.  I'm surprised the arch remainer and Project Fear merchant Hammond didn't pluck a figure more like the original £74billion payment that was being bandied about from some fanciful minesterial projection. 

20 hours ago, flossie35 said:

What financial aid? Ireland has never qualified for UK aid.

 

 

Go back to the 2008 financial crash/crisis. The Irish government at that time were very open and grateful for the assistance given from the UK when all faced difficult times.

 

Not that that has anything to do with sorting out a mutually acceptable deal this time. The Irish PM is inexperienced and a somewhat unknown ability. The British Tory government's lack of abilities and in-fighting are well known. The EU doesn't posses any leader of high capability, just look at drink Juncker or the bland in-the-box Barnier. So a innovative clever solution looks unlikely.